Latest news with #StarlightChildren'sFoundation
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
After a liver transplant Newcastle teenager sees dream come true
Walking on the red dust of Central Australia, fourteen-year-old Willow Mowbray knew she had used her Starlight wish of a lifetime well. "It was almost like a dream, it was surreal, I didn't even feel like I was here," Willow said. The Newcastle teen, who is part of the Dunghutti people on the NSW Mid-North Coast, was flown out to Uluru and Alice Springs with her two younger siblings and parents by the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity supporting sick kids. Her first wish came true when she visited the Northern Territory spot in April, and again in August with two other children as part of a partnership with Virgin Australia. Two years ago, Willow was eating dinner at her pop's house when her mother noticed yellow on the whites of her eyes. "We went to John Hunter, and they sent us home with antibiotics, saying you have a cranky liver," Willow said. "That all escalated quickly because I was diagnosed with liver failure," she said. She was then driven down to Westmead Hospital, and twelve days after they first noticed symptoms, she was receiving a liver transplant. "I was the number one priority because I was hours away from being sedated and sent to the ICU," she said. Willow's mother, Paige Benson said she was told her daughter might need to be put on life support. The then-12-year-old received a type of liver transplant that only a handful of kids have had, Ms Benson said. A portion of Willow's sick liver was left behind alongside a transplanted donor liver. The idea is to give the sick liver enough time to repair itself, and the donor portion could be removed. The next year was tough for Willow. She had to take anti-rejection medication that caused insomnia, and mood swings, and she struggled to breathe. "During that year, I reduced my work hours by more than half to try and manage our new life as 'medical parents'," Ms Benson said. Willow required multiple revision surgeries and more time in the hospital and she missed a lot of her first high school year. "Emotionally, the fear of finding herself back in hospital and needing more surgery was always lurking in the back of her mind," she said. After a gruelling year, Willow's transplant was removed and she was considered healed. "I'm doing much better now that I'm off all that immune-compromised medication," Willow said. "I feel like myself again." As an Aboriginal girl, Willow really wanted to visit Uluru and experience how the people there connected to country. "The rock is really present in the middle of the desert and it's just really special to see it in person," she said. Also a keen artist, Willow got to see the Parrtjima Festival of Lights in Alice Springs in April, and both times she enjoyed practising dot painting. "I really like doing Aboriginal art because it's nice and detailed, and it's really creative," she said. Ms Benson said it was beautiful for Willow to be able to take her own inspiration away from Uluru and recreate some pieces in her own style. Willow was also excited to see the rare Mala or rufous hare wallaby. "It is just inspiring and amazing," Willow said. Walking on the red dust of Central Australia, fourteen-year-old Willow Mowbray knew she had used her Starlight wish of a lifetime well. "It was almost like a dream, it was surreal, I didn't even feel like I was here," Willow said. The Newcastle teen, who is part of the Dunghutti people on the NSW Mid-North Coast, was flown out to Uluru and Alice Springs with her two younger siblings and parents by the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity supporting sick kids. Her first wish came true when she visited the Northern Territory spot in April, and again in August with two other children as part of a partnership with Virgin Australia. Two years ago, Willow was eating dinner at her pop's house when her mother noticed yellow on the whites of her eyes. "We went to John Hunter, and they sent us home with antibiotics, saying you have a cranky liver," Willow said. "That all escalated quickly because I was diagnosed with liver failure," she said. She was then driven down to Westmead Hospital, and twelve days after they first noticed symptoms, she was receiving a liver transplant. "I was the number one priority because I was hours away from being sedated and sent to the ICU," she said. Willow's mother, Paige Benson said she was told her daughter might need to be put on life support. The then-12-year-old received a type of liver transplant that only a handful of kids have had, Ms Benson said. A portion of Willow's sick liver was left behind alongside a transplanted donor liver. The idea is to give the sick liver enough time to repair itself, and the donor portion could be removed. The next year was tough for Willow. She had to take anti-rejection medication that caused insomnia, and mood swings, and she struggled to breathe. "During that year, I reduced my work hours by more than half to try and manage our new life as 'medical parents'," Ms Benson said. Willow required multiple revision surgeries and more time in the hospital and she missed a lot of her first high school year. "Emotionally, the fear of finding herself back in hospital and needing more surgery was always lurking in the back of her mind," she said. After a gruelling year, Willow's transplant was removed and she was considered healed. "I'm doing much better now that I'm off all that immune-compromised medication," Willow said. "I feel like myself again." As an Aboriginal girl, Willow really wanted to visit Uluru and experience how the people there connected to country. "The rock is really present in the middle of the desert and it's just really special to see it in person," she said. Also a keen artist, Willow got to see the Parrtjima Festival of Lights in Alice Springs in April, and both times she enjoyed practising dot painting. "I really like doing Aboriginal art because it's nice and detailed, and it's really creative," she said. Ms Benson said it was beautiful for Willow to be able to take her own inspiration away from Uluru and recreate some pieces in her own style. Willow was also excited to see the rare Mala or rufous hare wallaby. "It is just inspiring and amazing," Willow said. Walking on the red dust of Central Australia, fourteen-year-old Willow Mowbray knew she had used her Starlight wish of a lifetime well. "It was almost like a dream, it was surreal, I didn't even feel like I was here," Willow said. The Newcastle teen, who is part of the Dunghutti people on the NSW Mid-North Coast, was flown out to Uluru and Alice Springs with her two younger siblings and parents by the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity supporting sick kids. Her first wish came true when she visited the Northern Territory spot in April, and again in August with two other children as part of a partnership with Virgin Australia. Two years ago, Willow was eating dinner at her pop's house when her mother noticed yellow on the whites of her eyes. "We went to John Hunter, and they sent us home with antibiotics, saying you have a cranky liver," Willow said. "That all escalated quickly because I was diagnosed with liver failure," she said. She was then driven down to Westmead Hospital, and twelve days after they first noticed symptoms, she was receiving a liver transplant. "I was the number one priority because I was hours away from being sedated and sent to the ICU," she said. Willow's mother, Paige Benson said she was told her daughter might need to be put on life support. The then-12-year-old received a type of liver transplant that only a handful of kids have had, Ms Benson said. A portion of Willow's sick liver was left behind alongside a transplanted donor liver. The idea is to give the sick liver enough time to repair itself, and the donor portion could be removed. The next year was tough for Willow. She had to take anti-rejection medication that caused insomnia, and mood swings, and she struggled to breathe. "During that year, I reduced my work hours by more than half to try and manage our new life as 'medical parents'," Ms Benson said. Willow required multiple revision surgeries and more time in the hospital and she missed a lot of her first high school year. "Emotionally, the fear of finding herself back in hospital and needing more surgery was always lurking in the back of her mind," she said. After a gruelling year, Willow's transplant was removed and she was considered healed. "I'm doing much better now that I'm off all that immune-compromised medication," Willow said. "I feel like myself again." As an Aboriginal girl, Willow really wanted to visit Uluru and experience how the people there connected to country. "The rock is really present in the middle of the desert and it's just really special to see it in person," she said. Also a keen artist, Willow got to see the Parrtjima Festival of Lights in Alice Springs in April, and both times she enjoyed practising dot painting. "I really like doing Aboriginal art because it's nice and detailed, and it's really creative," she said. Ms Benson said it was beautiful for Willow to be able to take her own inspiration away from Uluru and recreate some pieces in her own style. Willow was also excited to see the rare Mala or rufous hare wallaby. "It is just inspiring and amazing," Willow said. Walking on the red dust of Central Australia, fourteen-year-old Willow Mowbray knew she had used her Starlight wish of a lifetime well. "It was almost like a dream, it was surreal, I didn't even feel like I was here," Willow said. The Newcastle teen, who is part of the Dunghutti people on the NSW Mid-North Coast, was flown out to Uluru and Alice Springs with her two younger siblings and parents by the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity supporting sick kids. Her first wish came true when she visited the Northern Territory spot in April, and again in August with two other children as part of a partnership with Virgin Australia. Two years ago, Willow was eating dinner at her pop's house when her mother noticed yellow on the whites of her eyes. "We went to John Hunter, and they sent us home with antibiotics, saying you have a cranky liver," Willow said. "That all escalated quickly because I was diagnosed with liver failure," she said. She was then driven down to Westmead Hospital, and twelve days after they first noticed symptoms, she was receiving a liver transplant. "I was the number one priority because I was hours away from being sedated and sent to the ICU," she said. Willow's mother, Paige Benson said she was told her daughter might need to be put on life support. The then-12-year-old received a type of liver transplant that only a handful of kids have had, Ms Benson said. A portion of Willow's sick liver was left behind alongside a transplanted donor liver. The idea is to give the sick liver enough time to repair itself, and the donor portion could be removed. The next year was tough for Willow. She had to take anti-rejection medication that caused insomnia, and mood swings, and she struggled to breathe. "During that year, I reduced my work hours by more than half to try and manage our new life as 'medical parents'," Ms Benson said. Willow required multiple revision surgeries and more time in the hospital and she missed a lot of her first high school year. "Emotionally, the fear of finding herself back in hospital and needing more surgery was always lurking in the back of her mind," she said. After a gruelling year, Willow's transplant was removed and she was considered healed. "I'm doing much better now that I'm off all that immune-compromised medication," Willow said. "I feel like myself again." As an Aboriginal girl, Willow really wanted to visit Uluru and experience how the people there connected to country. "The rock is really present in the middle of the desert and it's just really special to see it in person," she said. Also a keen artist, Willow got to see the Parrtjima Festival of Lights in Alice Springs in April, and both times she enjoyed practising dot painting. "I really like doing Aboriginal art because it's nice and detailed, and it's really creative," she said. Ms Benson said it was beautiful for Willow to be able to take her own inspiration away from Uluru and recreate some pieces in her own style. Willow was also excited to see the rare Mala or rufous hare wallaby. "It is just inspiring and amazing," Willow said.
West Australian
25-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Michael Walters: Why Fremantle Dockers Starlight game means so much to me
This week is our 23rd annual Starlight Purple Haze game, and for me, it's one of the highlights of the year. I'm one of the Dockers' nine ambassadors for the round, which has seen our club and supporters donate more than $3 million to the Starlight Children's Foundation over the years to help sick kids. Having a family of my own, I couldn't imagine what it would be like having a girl go through what these children go through, which is why I've been so drawn to helping out however I can. What we do as footballers is minuscule compared to what they go through; they are the real heroes who we should be making a fuss over. Throughout the year, us ambassadors visit Perth Children's Hospital, where we get to meet these brave kids, sing songs with them, play games, run up and down the ward, it's really good fun. Some of these kids have so much energy, others aren't quite up for a chat, but I always try to do something really silly, do a silly dance or sing something silly to try and put a smile on their face. I have some really great memories in the hospital, not only with the kids but those around them who go above and beyond. The parents and siblings of these children, I love making a big fuss over them. I'll always give them a big hug and a high five, it's about them as well. They would go through so much, things I would never want to imagine having to go through and I always think I want to do anything I can to make their day just that much better. It's also really special to meet the nurses, doctors, surgeons and team at the hospital, everyone involved in the foundation who play a part in trying to make these kids' lives better, every single one of them are superheroes. Each of these kids, their families and the hospital and foundation staff have given me so much and helped me put things into perspective and to me it is all about giving back however I can. Some will run out with us on the field through the banner or line up as a guard of honour, and one will even get to go to the middle of the ground and toss the coin. After the game, we will give our Starlight beanies and wands, bring them into the rooms too, it's really exciting and I'm really looking forward to it. Our supporters and footy fans can get involved too — I encourage whoever can to donate through our Fans Pledge on our website, where you can donate a certain amount for every goal kicked. Everyone who enters this also goes into the draw to win a limited edition Starlight jumper, signed by all nine ambassadors, including me. These Starlight jumpers, as well as beanies and wands, are also on sale, and a portion of this will be donated to the foundation as well. Dig deep Dockers fans, I can't wait to see everyone on Sunday, let's make these children feel as special as they deserve to.
