When little Poppy Grace Middleton was diagnosed with leukaemia at just 11 weeks old, her parents were told she had a less than 20 per cent chance of survival.
So aggressive was the type of cancer she had, and so young was her age, that the odds were stacked against her.
But that didn’t stop her family and friends from relishing every moment they could with the little girl, who was described by her parents as “a stoic little world changer”.
“Poppy was a vibrant, dancing, laughing, beautiful girl who demonstrated strength and resilience from the very beginning, inspiring courage in others,” mum Carly says.
“She had smiles aplenty, and she gave them out liberally, ensuring she made eye contact and acknowledged everyone in the room.
“This empathetic nature grew with her, and she had social intelligence well beyond her years.”
Poppy was diagnosed with High-Risk Infantile Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a rare leukaemia that affects five to six babies in Australia each year.
Her little body endured 547 days of active treatment, including 405 overnight stays at John Hunter Children’s Hospital, with rarely more than two or three days in a row at home.
She endured 129 rounds of chemotherapy, 113 blood transfusions, 37 lumbar punctures, monthly bone marrow aspirates, 20 X-rays, 15 ultrasounds, nine CT scans, eight ECGs, six MRIs, two rounds of immunotherapy, daily steroids, and countless other medications.
“She took all the ups and downs with such resilience that it shocked her doctors,” says mum Tresne.
“She was stoic and tough, undergoing most of her treatment with a smile, a dance, and a giggle.”
It was during her treatments that her parents, Carly and Tresne, decided they wanted to be baptised along with Poppy Grace, in a service they could share as a family.
Knowing she couldn’t travel far from her temporary home at John Hunter Hospital, it became a race against time.
When a church they had contacted could only perform adult baptisms, they were referred to Reverend Melanie Whalley from Toronto Anglican Church.
“Reverend Kate Heath helped by allowing us to conduct the baptisms at Lambton Anglican Parish as it was close to the John Hunter ,” Reverend Melanie explains.
“They wanted the baptism to be outside the hospital, but it had to be nearby.
“The date fell on a special wedding anniversary, and it was the first and only time for a lot of extended family and friends to meet Poppy as she spent most of her life in the JHCH with minimal visitors during Covid.
“I baptised Poppy and her parents at Lambton Anglican Church on Wednesday 2 February 2023, and it was a wonderful occasion.”
Sadly, Poppy passed away two weeks later, on 16 February 2023, at just 20 months old.
More than two years later, the connection between Poppy Grace Middleton and the Anglican church continues, with Reverend Melanie committed to honouring her legacy.
On Sunday 17 June, Reverend Melanie hosted a morning tea at Toronto Anglican Church (Christ the King) to fundraise for Children’s Cancer Institute.
“It was a great turnout; there were about 60 people that attended. Poppy’s parents were guest speakers, and they did a fantastic job,” Reverend Melanie says.
The group were treated to the sounds of ukulele band ‘Strumming the Strings’, which encouraged a number of people to enjoy some dancing.
The baked treats were described by guests as “sublime” and everyone enjoyed numerous sweet treats, tea and coffee.
Toronto businesses were very generous, donating prizes worth more than $800.
The event raised $1,300 for Children’s Cancer Institute.
The funds will go toward supporting medical research aimed at finding cures and better treatments for childhood cancers.
If you’d like to help, you can donate here: https://www.ccia.org.au/event/in-memory-of-poppy/home
Poppy’s parents Carly and Tresne were contestants on Season 5 (2014) of the popular Australian competitive cooking game show My Kitchen Rules (MKR).
They are also silver award winners for the global Women Changing the World awards and are set to publish their first book about Poppy Grace’s journey in 2026.
The pair wholeheartedly encourage blood donations in the Poppy Grace Lifeblood Team. To donate blood in Poppy’s honour, book in to donate blood and tell the staff you’d like to be part of the Poppy Grace Lifeblood Team when you attend.
The Poppy Grace Lifeblood Team has saved 9,342 lives since it started in August 2021.
