Meet Luca (3), a fun-loving, cheeky little fellow who was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma just before his second birthday.

Just weeks before he turned two, Luca bumped his head when he slipped in the garden. His mum Di, a Kalgoorlie based nurse, knew something wasn’t right when he started getting black eyes.  

Luca was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, a form of cancer which grows in the body’s nerve cells and is most common in kids under 5 years. Along with his twin brother Noah, Luca and his family relocated to Perth so he could undergo life-saving treatment at PCH. 
A difficult, 15-month journey involved what felt like endless rounds of biopsies, surgery, chemotherapy, stem cell rescues (reinfusion of a patient’s own stem cells), radiotherapy and immunotherapy.  

There were many hard and dark moments. But there were slivers of joy amidst the heartache as the twins celebrated their second and third birthdays inside the hospital walls. Having a therapeutic natural environment nearby would have made the world of difference to the family. 

Luca’s 15 months of relentless treatment included what seemed like endless biopsies, surgery, chemotherapy, stem cell rescues (reinfusion of a patient’s own stem cells), radiotherapy and immunotherapy. 

His family were right by his side, confined by the four walls of a hospital room and noisy medical equipment. A therapeutic natural environment next door to the hospital would have made a world of difference. 

“When you’re having a really tough time, when anyone is getting a little bit emotional, you go outside into nature and it’s instant relief,” said Di, Luca’s mum. 

By supporting the Greenspace redevelopment, you will make a lasting difference for children like Luca.