The power of positivity
As the youngest in a family of six, Archie’s inspirational fight against leukaemia proves that good things do indeed come in small packages.
During a family holiday to Cairns, 10-year-old Archie seemed unusually exhausted and was suffering from a persistent cough that just wouldn’t go away. While certainly noticeable, his parents had no reason to believe anything sinister was going on. “Kids are so resilient, their bodies adjust to what’s happening, so it’s not really until the symptoms kick in that you realise anything is wrong,” says Archie’s mum, Jan. Back home in Maffra, Victoria, just two months later, Archie’s symptoms continued to worsen, and his parents, Jan and Jason Schacht, began to worry. “He was coming home from school saying he couldn’t keep up at lunchtime because he was getting puffed out,” says Jan.
ARCHIE’S LEUKAEMIA DIAGNOSIS
In reality, Archie’s cough, recent bruising and yellowing of his skin were indicative of something much more serious –
B cell acute leukaemia. Upon diagnosis, Archie was rushed to The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, two and a half hours from home. He began treatment immediately. “The first blood transfusion started at midnight,” explains Jan, a nurse. “We slept at the hospital that night but then found out we had a room with Ronald Mcdonald House Charities at their Monash house.” What followed was an on-and-off residency for months. “We’ve been here for over 100 nights,” says Jan. “We’ve had a Christmas here, and celebrated his older sister Ella’s birthday here.” Archie also has an older brother, Tom, and another sister, Lillie.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Archie’s treatment, however, took longer than planned as he was considered high risk. “He wasn’t in remission after the first month as they’d hoped,” explains Jan. While the last phase of Archie’s intense treatment is currently under way, it has kept the family away from home, which at times has been tough for Archie’s siblings. “You’re not always around for the other kids,” says Jan. “My 17-year-old does miss her mother when she’s not home.”
For the ever-positive Schacht family, Archie’s diagnosis was a significant shock, but one they don’t dwell on. “It’s impacted life very much so,” says Jan. “The treatment was pretty full on and he started losing his hair just before Christmas.” While Archie has adapted amazingly to needles, blood tests and regular bouts of chemotherapy, he’s also had to suffer through the placement of an intravenous PICC line, a port and a number of lumbar punctures. “He’s had at least a dozen, but he copes really well,” adds Jan. “He has the most curable type of leukaemia, so we feel lucky.”
Thankfully, Archie has received nothing but ongoing support from friends, family and others whose lives he has touched. For now, the Schacht family is making the most of their remaining time at Ronald Mcdonald House Charities. “There’s always volunteers here to help and cook so you don’t have to worry about tea if you’re too tired,” says Jan. “The facilities are wonderful and there’s always someone to talk to. It truly is a home away from home.”