Georgia’s dream

Georgia's dream

Young Geelong woman Georgia Siddall spent many hours in the Children’s Ward at University Hospital Geelong after being diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoma as a child. In 2010, Georgia was able to forget hospital visits briefly and lend her support to the biggest regional fun run in Victoria, Run Geelong, as the key ambassador. During this period, she spent time with Cats great and fellow ambassador Joel Selwood.

Georgia was diagnosed on 2 October 2009 after being sick for about seven days with a bad cough. When the chest X-ray came through the family were sent to University Hospital Geelong as the right side of her chest was completed blacked out on the X-ray.

The family then spent the night in the kids ward and transferred to Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH)  the next day. Whilst in surgery to insert a chest drain to drain the fluid off her chest, the surgeons found a mass behind her sternum.

The mass was about the size of a grapefruit, the mass is a liquid mass and had to be shrunk rather than removed.

During eight months the family have travelled over 6000km going to RCH whilst Georgia had more than 36 doses of chemotherapy, 18 lots of blood and platelet transfusions and over 75 blood tests and daily medications.

She also had over 15 anaesthetics and 11 lumbar punctures.

Today Georgia is 18 and studying to become a nurse, a passion inspired by her time at University Hospital Geelong.

The news of a new Barwon Women’s and Children’s has allowed Georgia to dream of one day working to support kids just like herself in a brand-new facility.

“As Barwon Health has been part of my life for over 15 years, I am thrilled that there will be a new Kids and Women’s facility. I have such fond memories of the doctors and nurses that looked after me whilst I was getting treating for Lymphoma. These fond memories made me want to be a Nurse myself, I have just started my nursing and business degree at university, and I am loving it. It’s both very rewarding and fulfilling because the career I know has an impact on many individuals.”

“I know this new project will be so amazing for the families in Geelong so families have more opportunities to stay closer together. When I was in the Barwon Health my family could be close– one time I was in for over 1 month and couldn’t leave my room. One of my most treasured memories was I made stalls at my door and the nurses and doctors were my customers. I hope to one day to be someone’s customer whilst they are staying at Barwon Health.”

“I have an interest in either midwifery or paediatric nursing, I hope to one day work on one of the new wards. Either when I am doing my nursing rounds or finished my degree I could end up being a nurse at the Kids & Women’s facility. This would not be possible without the new Kids and Women’s project.”