In July 2021 we received the news that no family should ever have to hear – our darling 4-year-old daughter Piper was diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma), an incurable and untreatable brain tumour.

This was devastating to our family – Mum Janelle, Dad Chris and Piper’s brothers, Alex (10) and Lachlan (6) – as were told Piper would only live for 6-9 months from diagnosis.

Piper underwent the only standard palliative treatment for DIPG, daily radiation therapy over 6 weeks. We moved our family from our home in Newcastle to Sydney for that time and supported Piper through the treatment.

Piper responded very well to radiation and the tumour shrunk significantly, doctors were confident, she would live longer than her original prognosis. Unfortunately, this was not the case and Piper passed away in February 2022, just 7 months after being diagnosed.