Together Through the Unthinkable: Odelia's Story
Melissa and Blair Simonsen never imagined that a routine trip to the doctor would change their lives forever.
The family of five from Woodville in the Tararua District spend their days much like many other Kiwi families. Melissa and Blair are raising three children - McKenna, 9, Odelia, 7, and energetic three-year-old Zepplin. Their children are homeschooled, and family time sits at the heart of everything they do.
Their ordinary family life changed in an instant earlier this year.
One Monday morning, Melissa took Odelia to the doctor after noticing something unusual. Her daughter's left eye had started turning inward, and she was suddenly seeing double. Within hours, doctors had discovered a tumour on Odelia's brain stem. "Hearing that they'd found a tumour was the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking feeling," Melissa says.
The following morning, Melissa and Odelia were flown to Auckland aboard a Life Flight plane, while McKenna and Zepplin went to stay with their grandparents. Suddenly, the family was facing a situation none of them could have imagined. Nothing, however, could have prepared them for the official diagnosis. "To hear that there was no cure was an unexplainable kind of pain."
Odelia underwent a brain biopsy to confirm the diagnosis; a serious and high-risk procedure that carries significant dangers because of the tumour's location. Thankfully, the procedure was successful. She then began two and a half weeks of radiation treatment. The treatment wasn't designed to cure the tumour. Instead, it was intended to buy precious time. Through it all, Melissa says Odelia showed remarkable strength. "She did incredibly well."
While Odelia received treatment at Starship Hospital, the entire family found a home away from home at Ronald McDonald House in Auckland. For two months, Ronald McDonald House became far more than just a place to sleep. "We can't even put into words how much RMHC helped us during such an awful time,” Melissa explains, “if they hadn't been there, there is no way we could have afforded for all of us to stay together in Auckland."
Being together brought comfort and familiarity to Odelia during one of the most frightening experiences imaginable. "Having our family around helped keep Odelia feeling comfortable and content, and that was so important to us."
It was often the smallest acts of support that made the biggest difference. Melissa still remembers the evening art classes fondly. Because the children were homeschooled, they didn't participate in the House's schooling programme, but the art sessions quickly became a highlight. "My children absolutely adored the classes and the people running them."
The practical support mattered just as much. Fruit, baking, snacks, yoghurt and easy-to-prepare meals stocked in the shared pantry provided relief on days when a trip to the supermarket felt impossible. "There were times when we simply didn't have the mental energy to think about what we were going to eat." Clean towels and freshly laundered bedding appeared almost effortlessly. "Not having to worry about washing bedding and towels is actually a huge weight off your shoulders when you're in this kind of situation."
And then there was Zepplin. Anyone who has spent time with a busy three-year-old will understand why the playgrounds, indoor play areas and the House's much-loved police pedal car became invaluable. "That police car was veeeeeery popular," Melissa laughs.
Looking back, Melissa says it is impossible to separate Odelia's treatment journey from the support the family received at Ronald McDonald House. "RMHC and the staff helped make a very crappy situation bearable." It's a simple statement, but one that captures the reality many families face when serious childhood illness turns life upside down.
For Melissa and Blair, the ability to stay together during the most difficult chapter of their lives is something they'll never forget. "We will forever be grateful for the housing and everything that was provided to us during our stay."
