Wish opens new chapter for Kylie
Make-A-Wish granted 15-year-old Kylie’s wish to have a book published. But a new exciting chapter was to follow: Kylie became a doctor.
The book that keeps giving hope
At just 15 years old, Kylie Mason wrote thousands of words down in a little notepad that 33 years later are providing comfort and support for sick children.
Most of the words were penned sitting in her bed at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, where she was being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Kylie’s words were initially intended be a journal she could gift her dad. While her mum was by her bedside during the weeks and months at hospital, her dad had to keep working. So, Kylie wanted to document her highs and lows during treatment, and share them with her dad.
But another objective started to emerge in Kylie’s mind. That was to share her writing with others going through the same experience as her.
And when one of her schoolteachers visited Kylie in hospital and read what she had written, the seed was planted to turn the contents of a little notepad into a book.
Words for Dad shared with the world
Publishing a book in the late 1980s and early 1990s was no easy task. But Make-A-Wish entered Kylie’s life and said whatever her wish was they would make it happen.
“I told them my wish was for my book to be published,” Kylie said.
“My teacher who visited me said she felt a book would be useful for other patients or families or friends of people who had similar experience with cancer or leukaemia to have the ability to read it through a first-person experience.”
The wish took a few years to be realised but in 1992 Kylie’s book was launched at an event full of balloons and friends.
“I felt really special. I think that’s the best way to describe it,” she said.
“The book actually went on to be placed in a number of school libraries and has been used through different social worker networks and other groups.
“So, it was really nice to feel like it was a gift that kept giving.
“I know that that book went on to support lots of other people in their journey.”
I know that that book went on to support lots of other people in their journey
Kylie, wish child
Kylie’s world stops
Kylie remembers clearly the first signs she was unwell at 15.
There was the tiredness, the unexplained bruises and then on the day she was to fly to Perth with her school band she woke up with blood in her mouth.
It was a Monday and at her brother’s urging, Kylie’s mum took her to their GP.
Blood tests followed within hours and that night a phone call came that no one expected. Kylie was told to present immediately at The Royal Children’s Hospital.
Kylie’s parents were told of the leukaemia diagnosis, and shortly after it was explained to Kylie.
“It was just a whirlwind,” Kylie said. “There’s that moment that you get wheeled into the cancer ward and all of a sudden you're just saying to yourself, ‘OK, this is like really serious’.
“From the moment I was diagnosed, my world stopped. I was in Year 10 at school. I was an academic student. I was active, I did gymnastics and running.
“And then all my friends in the world just kept going and I was sort almost like parachuted into this completely different world, that was full of adults, was full of hospitals, disease, with parents who were scared and frightened and a brother who was left at home.”
The start of a new journey
While Kylie’s body was tired during two and half years of chemotherapy and radiation, her mind stayed sharp.
She kept up with her school work, finishing Year 12 and being accepted to study medicine at Melbourne University.
“From age 15 when I was in Year 10, then 11 and 12, I was largely in and out of the children's hospital and all of the people that I had a lot of contact with were medical or health professionals,” Kylie said.
“So, from my point of view, studying medicine seemed like a logical thing to do.
“To be able to give back to someone and to other people in the way that people have helped me.”
Kylie graduated as a doctor and went on to specialise in the disease that affected her as an adolescent.
She completed a PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research focusing on developing new drugs for leukaemia and lymphoma.
Kylie was involved in research which led to the development of a drug called Venetoclax, which today is widely used to treat a range of cancers.
Her efforts were acknowledged through a number of awards including the Premier’s Award for Health and Medical Research and the L’Oréal for Women in Science Award.
Tumour setback for Kylie
After more than 18 years of study and specialist training, Kylie began treating patients at Melbourne hospitals.
She started work as a haematologist with The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where she carries out clinical research and also treats patients with leukaemia and other blood disorders.
Kylie’s work was interrupted in 2009 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour, a result of the intense treatment she received as a teenager.
“It was a pretty scary time because they weren't sure if it was malignant or benign and I had an 18 month old child at the time,” she said.
“I was told that the chances were good but that I may have long term problems from the surgery, such as the inability to move one side of my body. So, it was quite scary going into the surgery as a young mum.”
The tumour was successfully removed, and Kylie was able to return to work.
‘Thriving after cancer’
Working in adult health care, Kylie doesn’t cross paths with Make-A-Wish children very often.
But not long ago she treated a girl who was on her Wish Journey.
“This young lady ended up going to one of the islands in Queensland,” Kylie said.
“They had a fantastic and very memorable family holiday. It was really special for them. So I know they really appreciated it.”
Kylie said there is hope for families who have a child starting their cancer journey.
“It’s an incredibly difficult time but there’s lots of support out there and many examples of people like myself who have thrived after cancer,” she said.
There are many examples of people like myself who have thrived after cancer
Kylie, wish child
The wish that delivered confidence
Kylie never has to look far for reminders of her Wish.
“My book's on the shelf and it certainly still brings a smile on my face,” she said.
“The memories absolutely do last a lifetime.”
Kylie said at the time of her Wish, all decisions – including medical ones – were made by her parents.
But planning her Wish was one of the first times she felt in control.
The end result of having her own published book filled her with confidence.
“I never thought I could produce a piece of work that other people would want to read,” she said.
“It was never the intention of the work initially, but the fact that it was published gave me that positive reinforcement, positive feedback.
“And it really did give me the confidence that I could do things going forward.
“It was one of the very first seminal things for me that reinforced to me that my story was worthwhile and I was worthwhile in the sense that people valued what I had to say.”
