Cameron Howe, News by Cameron
March 18, 2018
An emotional toll was taken on a Patterson Lakes family when their daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2014. It is now their mission to give back to the Monash Children’s Hospital, who supported them on their journey, by raising funds via their annual day of magic!
Vanessa Miranda’s daughter, Taylah was diagnosed with leukaemia at age 14. It sent shockwaves through the family unit, resulting in her then three and four-year-old children often joining their eldest at the hospital for dinner. Vanessa says that, “they got used to a life of not knowing what we were doing, whether Taylah was home or in hospital, or whether we needed to drop everything and go to the hospital.”
“It was actually heartbreaking as a mother to see your children suffer, but also see your other children’s sadness too,” she said.
Throughout treatment, the Monash Children’s Hospital strived to support the family as a whole, often working around time constraints to eventually see young Taylah back to good health. Taylah is one of more than 100,000 children who will go through the facility each year.
The Biggest Playdate is an annual event organised by The Miranda Foundation, which has to date raised in total $150,000 towards the Monash Children’s Hospital. Last year donations went towards its All Aboard research program, which is developing technology to enable children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, to receive chemotherapy from home. The efforts of The Miranda Foundation and its supporters have unbelievably paid for an entire year of research.
“I can never repay the hospital for what they have given to me, how they have supported my family and saved Taylah’s life. If I can do this for them each year, I can feel like I am doing something to repay their service to our community.”
More than two hundred people attended the event last year, which will have a variety of rides, market stalls, food trucks and an auction, likely to see many families let their hair down. Now in it’s fourth year, the event this year will invite along a number of roving performers likely to draw a crowd. Storm Troopers, Moana, Lego’s Emmet, Superman, Wonder Woman, plus the Easter Bunny are all expected attendees.
A child’s fantasy awaits at Chelsea’s St. Joseph’s Primary School on Saturday 24th from 11am to 3pm. Donations can be made via gofundme.com/the-biggest-playdate.
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