My family’s life completely changed when my daughter, Eve, was diagnosed with DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) in March 2021. DIPG is the deadliest form of childhood cancer with an average survival rate of just nine months following diagnosis. We are still fighting the biggest fight of her life and trying to beat the odds that are against us. The 5+ years survival rate is 1%. The only way to change that is through research and clinical trials WHICH NEEDS FUNDING to happen.

After also contacting our MP and receiving a response from the Minister of Health Mark Butler we were told, "..Since 2015... $970,000 focused specifically for DIPG.." Approximately, 20-30 children in Australia are diagnosed with DIPG each year and so to put a price value on each child's life that is approximately $4500 per child over the last eight years that has been allocated to fund the research and a cure into a malignant paediatric brain cancer that children only have a 9-12 month life expectancy following diagnosis.

I would like to invite you to be the voice for our children and help by signing the petition to have this issue brought up in parliament meetings for a change in the next state and federal budgeting. I know very well any changes we make now are too late for past and current DIPG fighters, including my daughter, because research takes decades to turn into a clinical trial and some other decades to reach a cure. But I hope, it will not be too late for any future unlucky kids who get diagnosed with this monster disease.

MP Anne Webster Awareness in Parliament