Surf Coast’s Good Friday Appeal ambassador Scarlett McGowan is seriously ill and needs your support.
Scarlett McGowan, 17, was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) for urgent care recently, but was also there when only a few months old with Dilated Cardiomyopathy which meant that her heart muscles were unable to properly pump blood around her body.
Scarlett was placed on the transplant list and, because she was in such urgent need of a new heart, her parents were asked if they wanted to consider ABO mismatch, which is an organ from a donor with a different blood group. Scarlett became the first child in Australia to have this type of heart transplant.
Scarlett’s mum Sam described the procedure as putting a new engine into an old car.
“Scarlett had colour in her that we had never seen before, which was because her new heart was pumping the blood round her whole body properly,” she said.
“With her new heart, Scarlett has been able to keep up with her friends and take part in normal activities.”
Recently Scarlett became critically ill and on 2 January was rushed to RCH and diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of cancer that can happen in transplant recipients due to the immune suppression medication allowing an overgrowth of cells that turn cancerous.
An ultrasound found lymphoma in Scarlett’s stomach. She deteriorated quickly and was moved to ICU and placed on a ventilator. Too unwell to have a PET scan, a CT scan showed the lymphoma was also in her lungs.
Scarlett’s oncologist had to treat her quickly and, while ventilated, she was given two chemotherapy drugs and an immunotherapy medication. She is now on the oncology ward, stable and undergoing a third round of chemo. The treatment plan is expected to take a minimum of six to eight months.
Scarlett has had multiple treatments including a bone marrow biopsy, more chemotherapy injections and medications.
Parents Sam and Jon are taking it in turns to stay bedside with Scarlett or be home with her younger brother Raef.
Jon has his own small business and is now navigating how to juggle supporting the family financially while needing to be with his daughter in Melbourne.
“We are so lucky to have such amazing medical care and staff who are dedicated to taking care of our child,” Sam said.
“Sharing Scarlett’s story and raising awareness is a small way we can say thank you to the staff at RCH, and to honour her donor. We are looking forward to when we can have Scarlett back home in Torquay.”
Torquay Lions Club and friends recently raised $3114 for the MacGowan family at a sausage sizzle in Waurn Ponds.
To help the McGowan family, go to gofundme.com/f/financial-support-for-the-mcgowan-family
