‘You have a port too.’ The softly spoken words were more than a general observation – they forged an instant, deep bond between two little girls who met in hospital as they tackled and beat cancer.
Evie Gleeson, five, and Indy Dawes, four, met in a Melbourne hospital two years ago – and now they share an unbreakable bond.
‘They have always been so comfortable together, because they have been going through the same thing,’Evie’s mother Kate said.
Indy, left, with Evie pictured in the book drinking from a magic well which will make them better
Evie, left and Indy, right, met in hospital where they were both being treated for cancer
Karen Alsop, middle, from The Heart Project heard about their incredible bond and was inspired to feature them in a book
‘They both lost their hair and they both had tubes for the chemotherapy, it helped make it normal.’
The girls have overcome their cancer battles and are now in remission – but their journey has been marked by the release of a special picture book – aimed at giving kids with cancer the strength to fight back.
The Get Well Tree by the Heart Project blends fantasy with reality – telling the story of how the two little girls found comfort with each other in hospital and managed to beat cancer together.
The beautiful book which sees the little girls meet in hospital and go on a dream-like adventure to find a cure for their sickness was put together by 12 Australian photographers.
Each artist using photoshop and their camera to create a beautiful dream-scape to help tell the story. Indy’s mum Kate told Daily Mail Australia it was nice to have a positive ending on her daughter’s cancer journey.
Each artist using photoshop and their camera to create a beautiful dream-scape to help tell the story
Indy, pictured, was diagnosed with cancer when she was six weeks old – now aged four she is in remission
The little girls became friends after noticing their similarities, ports for medicines and no hair from the treatment
They participated in music classes together and now they are well they get excited for their play dates
The children were excited to be a part of the book – and their parents excited for a positive keepsake from the journey
‘She was only six weeks old when she was diagnosed, she is four now and only finished treatment in March.
‘So it will be a positive keepsake after everything we have been through over the last two-and-a-half years,’ she said.
Daily Mail Australia spoke to both mothers’ moments after they had seen the book for the first time. They admitted they would have loved to be able to read a similar story to their own girls during the tough time.
Karen Alsop from The Heart Project said there were tears of joy. The charity will be handing out a book to each child at Monash Children’s Hospital on Monday – accompanied by Evie, Indy and Hi 5.
Another page from the book – which was created with the help of 12 photographers who used photoshop to create scenes
Evie Gleeson was diagnosed with cancer when she was two – after doctors thought she had tonsilitis
The little girl is now in remission – and aged five there are hopes the cancer never comes back
The girls would visit each other in hospital and cheer each other up with their presence
Evie, pictured, undergoing treatments with some of her ‘ports’plugged in on her left
The book reminds children struggling with cancer to be brave – and would have been helpful for the girls in their dark times
They hope to be able to publish the book and have it in stores for other sick children and have opened a crowd funding campaign to get it on the shelves.
The girls, who can now play properly together – as they have more energy than they did when they were sick – still ‘get really excited to see each other’.
‘We probably get to see each other more now than we did in hospital,’ Evie’s mother said.
‘Before it was brief visits in the wards, or we would have to cancel plans if the girls were sick.
‘I think they will always have that very special bond.’
The book will be presented to the sick children at a Melbourne Hospital on Monday – to help them through their own journeys
They hope to be able to publish the book and have it in stores for other sick children and have opened a crowd funding campaign to get it on the shelves