The girl who ‘isn’t supposed to be here’ will form a significant part of Team Landers when the walkers take to the Tenterfield Showground circuit for Relay for Life this weekend.
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The girl is Renee Binge, and her mother Allison (daughter of local Relay for Life committee member John Landers) was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia the same time her pregnancy was detected.
With chemotherapy not an option, Renee went on to become the first healthy baby born to a woman undergoing treatment with a special Vitamin A derivative so early in her pregnancy.
“Allison wasn’t expected to live,” Mr Landers said.
“The Mater Hospital (in Brisbane) contacted the Leukaemia Foundation in California who had done some research, but none of it was on mothers and babies. It was the same in France, but China had some promising results.”
Allison received 2.5 million units of Vitamin A a day and got ‘half good again’, according to Mr Landers, but after a relapse she was induced at 32 weeks and Renee was born weighing 1863 grams and subject to a barrage of tests to see if there had been any negative consequences.
“I remember them saying ‘come in, Pop’, and Rene was only four days old,” Mr Landers said.
“A couple of weeks later, Allison started chemo.”
While there was a successful outcome to the family drama, it become the motivation for Mr Landers to get behind Relay for Life, and Allison travels to Tenterfield for each relay to lend her support. This time Rene will also be walking in Team Landers, along with her sisters Hayley and Karrie. Another of John’s daughters Jenny is also participating with her daughter Bianca, making it a truly family affair.
Mr Landers also stays active with the Sister Angeline Mary Society of the Mater Hospital, which helps with cancer research. He’s been told by one doctor that in five or six years there will be a tablet to treat certain types of leukaemia.
“It’s all advancing in leaps and bounds,” he said.
“That’s why I’m passionate about giving the money for research.”
Mr Landers is not above appealing to the more mercenary side of potential relay participants if it means more money for the Cancer Council. Any bloke who dons a dress for the relay is in the running for ‘best dressed cross-dresser’, and there’s a carton of beer up for grabs.