Help Cassie fight Aplastic Anemia

Hello, my name is Mary Rose, and I am the mother of Cassie Louise.

On June 20, Cassie and I were granted an Australian 482 Visa (Temporary Skill Shortage), which was an incredible opportunity for our family. Just a few days later, on June 26, we arrived in Australia, excited to start this new chapter.

We were busy planning our weekends, eager for Cassie to enjoy and explore this beautiful country. We also enrolled her in school, and to our delight, she was accepted. I was thrilled, as this would be her first experience with face-to-face classes.

Toward the end of September, however, Cassie developed a persistent cough and fever that lasted two days. Shortly after, I noticed bruises forming on her legs. Initially, I wasn’t too worried since she’s such an active child.

But as days passed, bruises began appearing on her stomach and back, along with small petechial rashes—tiny red spots—on her body and inside her mouth.

On October 26, we decided to consult a GP. Following a full blood count, we were stunned to learn that Cassie’s platelet count was just 1. We were immediately referred to the ER, where she was admitted. The initial diagnosis was ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura).

At first, all of Cassie’s blood cell levels were normal except for her platelets. However, after receiving IVIG treatment, her other blood counts began to drop, necessitating both blood and platelet transfusions.

There were moments when she experienced severe joint pain and was unable to walk.

Cassie underwent two bone marrow aspirations and biopsies, which thankfully ruled out leukemia or cancer. However, she was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia—a rare condition in which the bone marrow is damaged and fails to produce enough new blood cells.

She is scheduled to undergo ATG treatment on December 20th, and we are hopeful that her body will respond positively. Long-term medications will be needed. If no improvement is seen after 3-4 months, a bone marrow transplant will be considered. We are just on a working visa and currently don't have Medicare.

Cassie is our only child. It breaks my heart to see her going through this. She’s such an active, spirited girl who loves dancing and singing. She often tells me she dreams of becoming a ballerina and a doctor someday.

We humbly seek your support to help Cassie in her fight against Aplastic Anemia.