David Bird with his son Douglas, who was recently diagnosed with leukaemia, and daughter Maeryn.
By Monique Ebrington
LAUNCHING Place residents Irene and David Bird admit that their world was turned ‘upside down’ when their two-year-old son Douglas was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Irene said that it was just weeks before Christmas when bruises started appearing in odd places over Doug’s body.
“We had just changed him over from a cot to a bed and he had all these bruises on his shins,” she said.
“We thought that he was just hitting his shins on the bed, but then we noticed that the bruises weren’t going away.
“He had also started getting bruises in odd places, like on his belly.
“Other than that he was really well, we almost felt paranoid taking him to the doctor.”
On December 7, the day before their five-year-old daughter Maeryn’s orientation day, they took Doug to the doctors.
Irene said they found out just hours after Doug’s tests that there was something wrong, and treatment started straight away with a blood transfusion in the early hours of the following morning.
“That was really hard, missing out on the excitement of Maeryn’s orientation day,” she said.
“Maeryn was exhausted and I thought I should tell her teacher why she might be a bit flat.
“It was the first time I said it out loud about Doug, and to someone I had just met, and I just burst into tears.
She said they were overwhelmed by the support they received when family and friends found out about Doug being treated for leukaemia.
“I can talk about all the ‘medical stuff’ no worries, but I get emotional every time I think about how generous everyone has been,” she said.
Brad said that after Doug’s diagnosis the family was kept so preoccupied that he didn’t have time to cut his usually shaved head.
“I thought why don’t I put my haircut to good use and do it as part of the Greatest Shave,” he said.
Brad will also bravely shave off his goatee, which has been a part of his persona for 13 years.
The ‘Dougzilla’ team aims to raise $5000 for the Leukaemia Foundation through their Greatest Shave event that will be held from 9.30am to noon on Saturday 13 March beside the Foodworks in Woori Yallock.
Dougzilla team members will have their heads shaved at 11am and there will also be a sausage sizzle fund-raiser for anyone who wants to come up and watch or donate.
For more information or to donate online to the Dougzilla team, please visit www.worldsgreatestshave.com.au.
