Over the last year I have been asked the question, “how have you done it?”, or I've been told, “you're such a strong person, all this would have done anyone else in.” Okay, first of all, I am not Wonder Woman, nor am I Super Girl, or anything else. I'm Melissa. Plain and simple. Daughter of the Most High God, and I am so dependent upon Him!

Oh, I suppose I should explain why the question, why the statement. Well, where do I begin...unquestionably the adventure began a year ago, but do I take a few steps before that? Hum, how to start....

I guess it really began two years ago, not one, and well, I have to say, the devil can slide in so innocuously that before you realize it things are spiraling out of control! So I guess we just go to where I noticed the start...February 2008, my husband called me from work to come get him. He had fallen from a ladder and was on crutches! Ok, here's the first backup...my husband works for a shipyard building ships so when he said he fell from a ladder my heart skipped a beat; then, thank God he's only severely sprained his ankle. Okay, I can handle this, after all he's okay, the ankle will heal and all is well.

Now I promise, I did not make up this next part! I do have pictures to prove it, but it is so outlandish that when I called our insurance company they said if they gave out awards for the strangest events we'd win....hands down. In April of 2008, my husband was on light-duty (still recovering from the ankle), therefore he was parking in the shipyard itself and well, the crane operator that day dropped a barge on his car...and three other cars. Stop laughing....okay, laugh, I do....now. :-) But now you understand our insurance company's response. Again, thank God it didn't flatten his car (unlike two of the other cars that became metal pancakes...which don't go well with syrup...lol), and no one was hurt, but it did smash in the top of his car requiring a whole new top. And again, thank God, the company my husband works for paid it in full.

In June of 2008 my 'other mother' (that is another article for another day) passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly. She was helping me learn how to make homemade jelly and can it one day, and gone the next. I was blessed to know this woman for nearly my whole life, and she really was a member of the family. The loss of this dear, matriarchal friend was devastating to me...and there are still days when I think of her and my heart aches. However, I know she loved Jesus and I imagine her most days singing and smiling with the Lord.

 FOUNDATION FOR LIFE  

116 Showground Road. Castle Hill. NSW. 2154

Abn   30 113 835 955

On Saturday the 31^st of July, 2010, we will honour my daughter Bianca who at seven months of age, suffered an aggressive form of cancer, neuroblastoma, which had formed at the base of her spine, this resulted in Bianca having to use a wheelchair, permanently.

Thankfully, she survived cancer, which is quite amazing in itself. Only the past twelve months it has been recorded that many children who had this same form of cancer, sadly, passed away.

Bianca has gone on to gain some outstanding achievements in her young life. She only just turned 15! She has broken State Records for swimming against able bodied swimmers, she has won several types of horse dressage competition’s, been nominated for the School Sports Captain role and even made a few appearances on Channel Nine, just for the amazing girl she is!

We are launching Bianca’s Foundation For Life Masquerade Ball, not only for the medical, physical and emotional support needs of Bianca but also to raise funds for the Cure Our Kids charity dedicated to supporting the Oncology Unit at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Cure Our Kids raise’s funds and provides services to help make the challenge easier for kids with cancer.

Along with Bianca, at only seven months of age, I lived in the Oncology ward at the hospital on and off for nearly three years. Words won’t ever be able to explain the heartache and horror that families and children with cancer endure during this time.