Vanessa’s Journey

In 2014 Vanessa Miranda’s 14-year old daughter, Taylah, was diagnosed with leukaemia.

“Before, we thought childhood cancer happened to other families – not ours,” Vanessa said.

“We entered a new world that day.”

For an entire year, Vanessa and Taylah visited Monash Children’s Hospital Cancer Centre so Taylah could undergo rigorous treatment for the leukaemia.

After their experience, Vanessa is delighted about the opening of the new Monash Children’s Hospital in early 2017 and believes there was an enormous need for it.

“For us, if your child gets sick, you go to Monash — that’s our children’s hospital,” she said. “It has taken years and years, but we really need it,” she said.

As a way of thanking the staff at Monash Children’s Hospital who saved her daughter’s life, Vanessa kindly organised her own Australia’s Biggest Playdate on 28 May 2016 – International Children’s Day – to raise funds for the new Monash Children’s Hospital. This was her way of saying thank you.

Now 16 years-of-age, Taylah is in remission and doing wonderfully.

“I’m so grateful that they saved her life,” Vanessa said.