Wollongong mum's donation to kids' ward to help others

Which is why after losing her 16-year-old son Nik Murdoch after a four-year battle with neuroblastoma in May, she made a special donation to Wollongong Hospital’s children’s ward.

With the remainder of the money raised through an online fundraiser for Nik, she purchased a small fridge and microwave on a trolley that families could share to heat up meals and heat packs.

She has also made up a large number of toiletry packs for parents who have rushed their children to hospital with nothing but their keys and wallets.

Ms Gifford said she hopes these small gifts will make a big difference by allowing families to spend more time with their loved ones – and less time dashing to shops or to the kitchen.

‘’The last thing you want to do is leave your sick child to do these things – when all they want is for their mum or dad to be with them,’’ Ms Gifford said.

‘’When your child is terminal, you never know when their last words will be. Nik’s last words were ‘Mum, can you hold my hand’. You don’t want to be out running to the shops and miss that chance to hold their hand.’’

Ms Gifford said the children’s ward became like a second home to her and her son during his fight with the childhood cancer.

‘’From the day (pediatrician) Dr Jeff Brereton discovered the tumour and referred us to Randwick children’s hospital, Wollongong Hospital became a familiar place between chemotherapy treatments,’’ she said.

‘’He highly respected Dr Brereton, (palliative care director) Dr Greg Barclay and the nurses he favoured for their massages to ease his pain, offers of special food orders and playful banter that gave comfort and brought light back into his smile through his pain.’’

Ms Gifford also paid thanks to Nik’s Keira High School friends for their support. The mother of one of those set up an online fundraiser to help Nik achieve his ‘bucket list’ wish of travelling to Japan. Ultimately he was too ill to take that trip, but the funds helped with medical and other expenses.

‘’Now that Nik has passed away and gained his angel wings, I wanted to use the funds to assist other single parents and families with children with terminal illnesses, and long stay patients, who may not be as fortunate as us to have the support network we have been blessed with,’’ she said.

Ms Gifford said her son had never complained despite his pain, which was confirmed by his doctors.

Dr Brereton said: ‘’He put up a great fight and was a very brace young boy – he was an inspiration to us all.’’

Dr Barclay said it was very hard for parents to deal with a terminal diagnosis for their child.

‘’As a palliative care service we deal mostly with adults, when we see children we work very closely with parents to help provide them with as much comfort and support as we can,’’ he said.

‘’Nik was a wonderful boy – who was far more concerned about his mother than himself.’’