Shikia R


		Shikia R ~ ‘Fairy Garden’


	DATE OF BIRTH: September 4th, 2001 ILLNESS: Cancer - (Tectal Plate Glioma - brain tumour)


	Shikia’s Quilt Stitchers: Australian: Catherine~Melbourne, Linde~Ambrose, Lyn~Montmorency, Mandy~Tasmania, Rene~Gladstone, Sam~Mt.Larcom, Sonia~Ambrose, Tania~Werribee. International: Daniela~Finland, Debi~USA, Jeri~USA, Julia~USA, Katherine~UK, Sonda~USA, Stephanie~ Germany, Susan~Canada.

		Fabric Donation: Evelyn~Autumn Threads.

Thank You Message:

I just wanted to say THANK YOU so VERY much to everyone involved in making Shikia’s quilt! We picked it up yesterday and we were just blown away at how beautiful it is. I was reduced to tears thinking about how much work and time and love has gone into it. Shikia just loves it and has carried it around with her everywhere! Her sister, Chelsea, enjoyed snuggling up with her on the lounge under it and I got some lovely photos. I will send one to you asap to put on the website with an update on Shikia’s condition.

Thankyou to Linde, Jeri K from NJ USA, Julia from NJ USA, Katherine from England, Lyn from Vic, Mandy in Tassie! Rene in QLD, Sam in QLD, Sonda in USA, Sonia in QLD, Stephanie in Germany, Tania in VIC , Susan in Canada, Catherine in VIC, Daniela in Finland, and Debi Raup in USA. I think that’s everyone.

With love, Irene R, 30^th June 2007

BIOGRAPHY

Shikia was born Sept 2001 in Canberra. She was a happy, placid baby. She had a lovely nature and a lot of people said it was as though she had been here before. She has always had a love of animals, music, dancing and was the first to do everything in my mum's group.

When she was nearly 21 months old we welcomed a baby sister for her into our family, Chelsea. She loved her and there wasn't much jealousy at all. We moved to Tasmania when Chelsea was 2 weeks old in June 2003. Kia has loved it here, although she has missed having more family around.

We had noticed that she had a tremour in her hands and watched it but thought it must be from her Dad who has it and most of his brothers who also have it to some extent. It became slightly more obvious and left her frustrated when she had trouble doing some things, but still nothing that would cause alarm, we just thought she lacked confidence and was a nervous child (like I was when I was little). It wasn't until she had a fall out of the car when she was 4 yrs old and needed emergency surgery to relieve a subdural haemorrage on her brain that we were then told she, in fact, had a cancerous brain tumour and had had it for possibly several years.

Suddenly a lot of things started to make sense and add up, much to our horror.After she recovered from her initial surgery she then had to undergo more surgery to relieve some of the symptons of the tumour,hydrocephulus, which is blocking the flow of the spinal fluid in the brain, by performing a 3rd ventricularostomy, thereby releasing a lot of the pressure inside her skull.

The tumour cannot be removed at this point as it is too risky, so we just have to monitor the tumour and symptoms and keep our fingers crossed.

She has started some pysiotherapy to correct some of the issues she has with her gross motor skills and she seems happy and is going to school and doing well in swimming lessons, she love music and fairies and her princess barbies and loves to be outdoors playing with her friends. She is due to have another MRI Scan in Jan to tell us how things are going and probaby 4 to 6 monthly after that if things go well, or treatment if there is any change.

Her Dad is overseas at the moment and provided all goes well with her scan early next year, we will be having a family reunion in Canberra at the time he is due to return home. It will be wonderful to have everyone together for a while again.

Written by Shikia’s Mum.