Plucky toddler Harlow takes on cancer in fight of her young life

Within 24 hours, a family had their lives turned upside down.

When Tahlia Boynton took her 2-year-old daughter Harlow to the doctor she thought it was just an iron deficiency or a preschool sickness.

But by the next day, Harlow had been diagnosed with leukaemia.

“Recently, Harlow had appeared more fatigued than usual, which we initially put down to her starting preschool,” said Boynton.

“Despite her naturally pale complexion, a passing comment by someone about her paleness raised some concerns.

“I spoke to a friend who is a nurse, and she suggested that Harlow might be low in iron.

“Unable to shake my mum gut feeling, I decided to take her to a doctor.”

When Boynton took Harlow to the after-hours doctor on Saturday, February 1, she was initially diagnosed with low iron and admitted to Christchurch Hospital for an iron infusion.

Harlow’s dad Ethan Chalmers came to the hospital on Sunday morning, giving Boynton a chance to visit her mum and freshen up.

While she was gone, the doctor gave Chalmers the news Harlow had cancer.

Said Boynton: “The news was devastating. I immediately got into my car and drove to the hospital, crying the entire way.

“I was in shock. I can’t honestly remember what I did or how I even got to the hospital. I just wanted to get to her as quickly as possible.”

Further tests confirmed Harlow had precursor b-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer.

The road ahead is still unknown.

“It’s scary, it’s confronting, and we know it’s going to be a long road. Likely years of different treatments.

“It’s very overwhelming. We are taking every day by day. Sometimes hour by hour. It’s exhausting,” Boynton said.

At this stage, Harlow is in and out of hospital for regular chemotherapy.

Just under a month into her treatment, it has been a journey of ups and downs.

In the second week, Harlow went into an anaphylactic shock after an allergic reaction to a new medication.

“Harlow, being only two, is struggling to adjust to the constant pokes, prods and procedures in the hospital.

“While the doctors and nurses are absolutely amazing, our toddler is overwhelmed.

“Her life has changed drastically from being a cheeky, inquisitive, and full-of-life youngest child, to being miserable in her hospital room,” said Boynton.

While Boynton and Chalmers are slowly adapting to the new normal, Boynton said the news has been challenging for Harlow’s two brothers Cooper, 13, and Alex, 14, and sister Lilly, 12.

“They’re still processing it,” Boynton said.

“My father (Shayne) has been an incredible support, staying with and taking care of our three older children.”

The family lives in the Selwyn District. Because of the constant trips to hospital Boynton has had to give up her job as a preschool chef after just one week in the role.

Complicating matters further, the family is also looking for a new home.

“Before Harlow’s diagnosis, our landlord informed us they plan to sell our house. Now we are searching for a new four-bedroom home in the Southbridge area.

“We need to find a new house in May; breaking our lease early is not an option. Given our current situation, managing two rents is impossible.”

To help with travel, parking and other living costs, the family started a Givealittle page, which had raised $4793 by Thursday.

Along with online fundraising, the Ellesmere community has rallied around the family.

Multiple businesses have helped raise money and the Southbridge Volunteer Fire Brigade has run a firewood raffle.

“The community support has been truly outstanding, and overwhelming but in the most wonderful way.

“We have friends, family, and even strangers pitching in to help with a meal train, providing regular deliveries of baked goods and freezer meals.

“Local mums have been amazing, offering their help by cleaning the family home.”