Cancer sufferer Mia O'Donoghue hopes to appear on Shortland St

Max, Tabitha, Celia, Mia and Oliver O'Donoghue have been touched by support after their struggles were reported by the Weekend Herald. Photo / Doug Sherring

An appearance on Shortland St was all 13-year-old cancer sufferer Mia O'Donoghue wanted when Make-A-Wish got in touch this week.

The approach from Make-A-Wish was just one of the good things to happen in response to last week's Weekend Herald story on the family's plight.

Mia, one of triplets, has melanoma and now suffers from lymphoedema, the result of lymph nodes being removed from her groin after the cancer was found to have spread.

In January her father, Greg Goodwin, died after a long battle with bowel cancer. Goodwin's death left Mia's mother, Celia O'Donoghue, a solo mother of four, struggling to cope with medical bills having exhausted the family's finances looking after both Greg and Mia.

Her youngest daughter Tabitha, 3, is still traumatised from her father's death and cannot go to kindy. O'Donoghue takes her to work each day.

O'Donoghue has been overwhelmed by the response from both friends and strangers. A Givealittle page for Mia has raised more than $32,700 and the family have been touched by offers of support.

O'Donoghue was worried about the risk of melanoma in Mia's triplet brothers, Max and Oliver. The Moleman skin clinic in Northcote has offered to give the whole family skin checks. Another clinic in Mt Maunganui has also offered skin checks.

Jennie Wyllie, chief executive of Netball NZ, is personally paying Mia's netball fees for the season, and a gift pack from the Silver Ferns will be given to Mia this week.

And then Make-A-Wish called. Mia asked if it was possible for her to appear in the background in a Shortland St scene.

"The response has been brilliant. I am so grateful," O'Donoghue said.

Last Saturday she allowed herself to cry for the first time since her husband's death. "I realised when I read the story how horrible it all is," she said. "It was like it was about someone else. I had a big cry that Saturday morning. I just felt so supported."

O'Donoghue is still waiting for the results of two suspicious moles that were removed from Mia's neck and arm eight days ago.

"The thing is with melanoma you've just got to keep getting it whenever I see anything different come up on her skin."

Having the Givealittle funds means O'Donoghue will be able to move quickly to get treatment for Mia. "Whenever she needs her surgery next, it basically is paid for. The delays in the public system are just not good enough."

O'Donoghue said she had lost confidence in the public health system and wants to engage a plastic surgeon to "fix up" a mass of lumpy unsightly scarring on Mia's upper thigh, the result of earlier surgery at Starship. She will also continue with private lymphoedema treatment for Mia to stop her leg swelling up.

O'Donoghue said she was moved by the messages both friends and strangers had left on Mia's Givealittle page.

"Every comment has been loving and supportive."

One donor told Mia, "May you get the treatment you need and go on to live a wonderful, happy life, achieving your goals and reaching your dreams."

Another said: "My heart broke when I read your family's story. To lose your father and then have cancer yourself is beyond words."