They wanted to make soup for her, so I had to explain that she was going to heaven. Cancer is never easy, but it’s particularly difficult when it’s your own child going through it. This family from Western Australia had a little girl with neuroblastoma. Not only did they have to grieve the loss of their daughter, but they also had to explain to their two young children that their baby sister was going to heaven. Here’s their heartbreaking story.
When Meagan Collard was pregnant for the third time, her dream came true when doctors told her she was expecting a girl. Of course, she loved her two young sons, but she had always wanted to have a daughter as well. The children, both under the age of five, were also excited. The family was preparing to tidy up her room, with her brothers excitedly choosing clothes for her future little sister. When baby Piper finally arrived, the entire family was excited. In May 2018, Piper began vomiting and had very high fevers. The doctor was concerned about her pale skin and she prescribed antibiotics for what appeared to be an ear infection. She said to come back in a week if her skin color didn’t improve. A few days later, Meagan took Piper to the hospital as her fever had spiked.
They were told it was just a virus and sent home. However, a month later, Piper started throwing up again. Meagan felt a hard lump on her daughter’s side while feeding her and went straight to the doctor. The doctor said it looked like liver inflammation and sent them to the hospital. After waiting for tests at the hospital, the doctor arrived to explain that there were only three reasons her liver would be swollen like that: HIV, hepatitis, or cancer. Meagan had tested negative for the first two tests during pregnancy, so it was unlikely. And indeed, her blood tests were abnormal. They were sent to the children’s hospital and spent the entire next day undergoing tests. The Final Goodbyes On June 20, 2019, Piper took her last breath. It was a heartbreaking moment for the entire family. Her siblings also got the chance to hold their baby sister one last time.