Mila's story - can you help?

Hi everyone!

The beneficiary of this fundraiser will be Courtney Lyne on behalf of her Daughter Mila.

Many in our community will know Mila and her family. Mila is 9 years old and grew up in Bilgola, attending Bilgola Plateau public school. Mila loves nothing more than to be having fun with her girlfriends, surfing and has developed a love for horse-riding.

Sadly, Mila has spent most of her life suffering in pain caused by a serious form of chronic pancreatitis. This has ultimately led to the need for complex and costly surgery in September this year.

So many of us would love to help, but with Covid, are largely unable to do so. We thought that this fundraiser is one thing our community can do to help.

How the fundraising will help

Having just recently relocated to Queensland, Mila and her mum will be relocating back to Sydney for 4 months for the surgery and recovery period. The relocation, medical expenses leading up to the surgery, ongoing throughout Mila’s recovery will pose a significant financial burden on the family.

They haven't asked for help, in fact, it didn't even cross their mind. We hope you can find just a few dollars to help Mila and her family get through this!

These funds won’t cover all the costs but they will help the family greatly in this time of need.

A little about Mila’s medical journey

Mila has had a long medical journey since first being diagnosed with paediatric pancreatitis when she was 4 years old. Over numerous visits to the ED department, her family came across an excellent paediatric gastroenterologist who diagnosed pancreatitis. At this time, imaging showed damage to her pancreas which was essentially dying.

From the initial diagnosis until the end of Kindy, Mila had endured over 9 months of hospitalised attacks and infection, among other chronic attacks and surgery for hernias. It was at this stage that Mila lost all exocrine function (EPI) and as a result, will rely on taking pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy with every meal and snack for the rest of her life. Moreover, when Mila is hospitalised, she requires opioids and fluid along with long periods of nil-by-mouth until her pancreas calms down. When her pancreas settles, she discharges from hospital and goes back to school trying so hard to be happy and optimistic and pretend like everything is okay, even though she is in significant pain due to the pancreas scarring.

During Mila’s most recent hospitalisation imaging showed she now has stones blocking the duct to the pancreas and that there is very little pancreas remaining (less than 5%). Very recently, Mila underwent another procedure to perform an ERCP, stenting and removing the stones. Unfortunately, this procedure was unsuccessful as the pancreas was so badly scarred and atrophic, and the ducts have calcified closed and are putting pressure on her liver.

Mila’s upcoming surgery

Mila’s Gastro Specialist has advised Mila’s family that they have exhausted all their options and the best and only outcome is to have a Total Pancreatectomy and Islet Auto Transplant (TPIAT).

Mila’s pancreas will be removed along with her gallbladder, part of her intestine and her spleen if it cannot be saved. Stage 2 of the surgery is where her Islet cells (makes insulin for the body) will be separated from her pancreas, harvested, then transplanted back into Mila’s liver in the hope that her liver will eventually start to produce insulin for her body. Mila will be type 1 diabetic straight away and will require insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring. Westmead Children’s Hospital and Adelaide Royal Hospital are the only teams that have done this procedure in Australia for anyone with Pancreatitis.

We hope you can find the time to share this story and contribute in some way.

This support will mean the world to Mila and Fam as they soldier through this tough journey!

Lots of Love!

Friends of Mila