Kiara, middle, with her mother Karen Spence, left, and Amanda Carter, who is organising a fundraiser at Lakeside Pakenham to help the Spence family in the wake of Kiara’s recent diagnosis. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS By BRIDGET SCOTT
AT 18 months of age Kiara Spence was diagnosed with brain cancer, but after radiation and chemotherapy her parents and family thought they were in the clear.
Despite the huge toll over 30 rounds of chemotherapy and a year in hospital had taken on the young girl, her mother Karen said routine had returned.
“We had a good year where life went back to a new normal,” the Narre Warren South resident said.
But earlier this year the Spences received the news that no family wants to hear – their six-year-old’s tumours had returned, but this time there was nothing they could do.
Devastated by the news, the one thing making this difficult time easier for the family is the amount of support they are receiving from the community.
In particular Amanda Carter, Mrs Spence’s close friend, has rallied behind the Spence family and organised a fundraiser called ‘Lets raise it for Rara’ – a walk and picnic around Lakeside Pakenham.
“Karen rang me about the news and I was distraught,” Ms Carter said.
“But I just wanted to help rather than be a mess.”
Once given to go ahead from her friend she started planning, getting a big response from local businesses and the public.
Ms Carter said Mrs Spence was a stranger to the feeling of everyone uniting to help her – she’s usually the one lending a hand to others.
“She is normally the person that helps everybody,” she said.
Mrs Spence was overcome by the situation.
“I was totally overwhelmed, that would be the best word to describe it,” she said.
She said that in the midst of everything, she just wanted her daughter to see this occasion as a fun day out.
“She doesn’t need to know she’s sick,” she said.
Kiara is seemingly unaware of how sick she is, despite the toll it has taken on her tiny body.
After more than 30 rounds of chemotherapy at Peter Mac when she was first diagnosed, doctors couldn’t predict the toll it was going to take on her.
“They couldn’t tell us the damage, so we just had to wait,” Mrs Spence said.
She said that as time went on the effects of the treatment started becoming clear – loss of hearing and a major stunt in her growth.
With this already upon her, the news that Kiara’s cancer had returned was a blow the family wasn’t prepared for.
But to shine a light on the situation, Mrs Spence was told on Tuesday that her daughter’s wish had been granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In a few short months the Spence family will fly to Sydney, where Kiara will get the chance to meet the cast and crew of Playschool.
Mrs Spence said her family wanted to give Kiara the best year possible.
“My aim is to raise enough so Karen can spend a year at home,” Mrs Carter said.
“So she won’t have to worry about the year of work she is missing.”
Mrs Spence said as hard as it had been for herself and husband Garth to accept the help, it came down what was in her daughter’s best interests.
“Garth and I are very proud people, but it’s not about us, it’s about Kiara,” she said.
‘Lets’ Raise it for Rara’ will be held on 18 November around Lakeside Pakenham, with check-in at 7.30am for an 8am start.
Entry is a gold coin donation, with T-shirts also available for $10. All proceeds will go directly to the Spence family.
