By Lia Bichel
A BRAVE 12-year-old boy is raising funds and awareness about a serious disease, which he was diagnosed with this year.
Narre Warren resident Lochy Bankes-Fay is one of the top 10 national fundraisers for the Leukaemia Foundation Light the Night event, which aims to raise $1.5million for cutting-edge research and free support services to patients and their families.
He has raised $3000 and hopes to crack the $5000 mark before the event at the Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne on 21 September.
The Haileybury Berwick student was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Luekaemia on 7 February this year.
His mother Melinda noticed Lochy had a lot of bruises, but thought they had come from “mucking around” with his three brothers.
“But after a few weeks the bruises got out of control- he was covered in them from head to toe,” she said.
“I took him to the GP on a Monday at that evening at 7pm my GP called me and told us the news. The minute we were told- everything changed.”
Lochy was admitted to the Monash Hospital at 8.30pm that night and started intensive chemotherapy by that Wednesday.
He has undergone chemotherapy every week for eight months and has four sessions left.
Lochy has had to stop attending school and playing his favourite sports.
Once the intensive phase is complete, Lochy will have chemotherapy once a month for three years.
“It’s been a tough road and a lot of ups and downs, but Lochy has handled everything really well,” Ms Bankes-Fay said.
Lochy said he has had a lot of support from family and friends and looked forward to finishing the last round of intensive treatments.
“I have four more weeks (of treatment) then I’m done- I’m rapt,” he said.
“I’m going to celebrate with a massive party and in three years we are going to go on a massive holiday.”
Lochy said he wanted to get involved in the Light the Night event to help raise awareness about Leukaemia and do his part to help find a cure.
“The Leukaemia Foundation is in need of funds,” Ms Bankes-Fay said.
“They do a lot- not only trying to find a cause and cure of blood cancers, but with financial assistance, counselling and support. They were absolutely helpful to our family.”
Lochy and other people with cancer will hold a white ‘life light’, while people who remember a loved one who died from cancer will hold a gold ‘love light’ and people supporting others with cancer will hold a blue ‘hope light’.
Anyone wanting to sponsor Lochy can visit www.lightthenight.org.au and search for Lochlan Bankes-Fay or his team name Light up Lochy’s life and donate.
Right: Melinda and her husband Gary with their sons Ben, Riley, Lochy and Cooper.
