When Bianca thinks back to the year her daughter Addison underwent treatment for Severe Aplastic Anaemia, she says simply:

“I didn’t live in the real world for a year. A whole year, missing in action.”

For families facing bone marrow or stem cell transplants, that feeling is all too familiar. Life becomes hospital rooms, long nights, fear, and exhaustion. For Bianca and her family, that year was filled with emotional strain and financial pressure as Addison, still so young, fought for her life. And Bianca, like many carers, was fighting to hold her family together.

The Hidden Struggles

Unlike families facing cancer, Addison’s diagnosis didn’t come with access to many standard support services.

“Because she didn’t have a cancer diagnosis, there were lots of support options that we just couldn’t access,” Bianca explained.

The family lived more than an hour from the hospital, with only one road in and out. Travel quickly became overwhelming and expensive. Bianca stayed in the hospital with Addison while her husband Daniel, a carpenter, stayed home to care for their younger daughter, Crimson.

“Our petrol costs went through the roof,” Bianca said. “I ended up pretty much living in Addison’s hospital room.”

Practical Help When It Mattered Most

That’s when Arrow stepped in.

“Honestly, the help we received from Arrow saved us a couple of times.”

Petrol vouchers meant Daniel could visit the hospital and give Bianca much-needed breaks, allowing her to spend precious time with Crimson, who was only two years old and struggling with the separation.

Food vouchers helped the family afford fresh, safe food for Addison, whose immune system was severely compromised.

“When food vouchers arrived, I would say, ‘Thank goodness! We don’t have to eat just noodles again tonight!’”

But the support went beyond practical help.

“It wasn’t just the financial support. It was that someone was there for us. It made me feel validated. Someone does want to support us. We are important and someone does care.”

The Emotional Impact on the Whole Family

Addison’s illness left deep emotional scars across the family. Crimson still panics when Bianca isn’t the one to pick her up from daycare, afraid her sister might be sick again. Bianca carries the trauma of watching Addison endure painful and frightening treatments.

“There were times when we had to hold her down so the doctors and nurses could do what they needed to do. And she’s traumatised by it. We all are.”

Even now, Addison must be sedated for routine vaccinations due to her fear of medical procedures.

Bianca shared one powerful moment with a kind anaesthetist that finally allowed her to release some of the pain she had been holding in:

“She was so lovely. She sat, gently stroking Addison’s hair and just whispered to her, ‘It’s OK, Addison. I’m here. You’re safe. Everything’s OK. I’m with you. You’re safe.’ And hearing that as a mum… I just fell apart.”

That compassion cracked the emotional armour Bianca had worn for so long.

“You never really get a chance to let everything out when your child is going through something like this. You can’t let them see you so upset, because when they’re little and they see you crying they think they’ve done something wrong. And they haven’t. It’s just a terrible situation with no way out other than through.”

A New Normal – With Ongoing Challenges

Now, months after her transplant, Addison is back at school and beginning her re-vaccination schedule. Life is slowly finding a new rhythm.

Bianca is preparing to return to work, though uncertainty still lingers:

“What business is going to employ someone who’s likely to have to walk out the door at a minute’s notice?”

She also speaks honestly about how support often fades too quickly for families:

“You get home from hospital, and the support just stops. People think it’s all over… but it’s not.”

Why This Support Matters

Despite everything, Bianca has become a fierce advocate for her daughter and for other families navigating life after transplant. And thanks to Arrow – and the kindness of its supporters – her family wasn’t alone when it mattered most.

“You are a lifeline. And it goes far beyond ‘just’ the bone marrow transplant itself. You’re helping a whole family.”