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Welcome to Katelyn Benson's website! This has been created to keep family and friends up to date with the latest news regarding our brave daughter.

At the age of three, Katelyn was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Stage 4, a rare childhood cancer for which there is no cure. She was diagnosed on Monday 16th May 2005 and since then has undergone 8 rounds of chemotherapy, a 5 hour tumour resection surgery, further high-dose chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant, radiotherapy and 6 rounds of Accutane (Retinoic Acid). In September 2006, we discovered that Katie had relapsed and so the battle begins again.

Despite the devastating prognosis, we have great faith that our precious daughter will be granted her miracle cure. Thank you for joining us on our rollercoaster journey. Words cannot express the uplifting joy we feel to know we have such a wonderful "team" standing behind us every step of the way. We thank each and every one of you for the endless love, support and prayers.

We are praying for a miracle!!

Children with cancer are like candles in the wind who accept the possibility that they are in danger of being extinguished by a gust of wind from nowhere; and yet, as they flicker and dance to remain alive, their brilliance challenges the darkness and dazzle those of us who watch their light.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Oi, Katelyn!!!!

Important news!! Katie has decided she would like to be referred to by her 'grown-up' name. The cutesy little nicknames; Katie, Kate, Katers, Kitty Kat have gone out the window. Our Katelyn is now ready to be grown up, apparently. She is four going on fourteen!

We spent a long day in the outpatient clinic while Katelyn received a blood transfusion as her haemoglobin had dropped to 7.9 (very low). She also had another x-ray of her shoulder as it's still bothering her. Again, it showed nothing. We are hoping it is not disease progression. The doctors don't seem overly concerned, but we are, I shall be keeping a close eye on the monitor during the next MIBG scan.

Josh has been going through a bit of a naughty stage and I have been reminding him to not shout out 'hey' when he wants someone's attention. I always say; hay is for horses, not for people. Last night, he shouted down the stairs 'oi Mum' and I replied that I was feeding Sophie, and not to use impolite words. At which point, Katelyn pipes up, in her best adult voice 'Joshuaaaa, oi is for horses'!