Megan Stanley

Strike a Chord for Cancer Foundation Making life better by striking a chord in someones heart

AUGUST 7TH 2009:
Mark Schulman (PINK'S drummer) joined Em and Sam Mac on 92.9 to help a very special young girl, Megan, who is fighting a brave battle against cancer. Megan's a keen music fan, loves the drums and loves Pink. So Strike A Chord Foundation arranged for Pinks drummer Mark Schulman to surprise Megan with her own set of drums and tickets to Pinks final concert in Perth.

Megan is now 11 years old, but has fought very hard to get there.

In February 2007, Megan was diagnosed with an Ovarian Germ Cell Tumour. An operation removed a 5 kilo tumour from along her fallopian tubes. This means Megan will never be able to have kids of her own. After beginning her recovery from her operation the family thought the worst was over, until 9 weeks later when doctors discovered that Megan had developed a tumour on her liver.

After undergoing chemotherapy, Megan went into remission in September 2007 (4 months after being diagnosed) and her port was finally removed (the port is the device left in the patients neck whilst undergoing chemo so that the treatment can be administered without having to constantly reinsert a line).

Just over a year later in November 2008 Megan’s cancer returned and she began taking part in an international study (only 8 kids in the world were taking part) to save her life. After 3 cycles of this chemotherapy (you are meant to undergo 9) Megan’s doctors decided they had to operate and she underwent a partial hysterectomy and had part of her liver removed.

Following these operations Megan completed her chemo treatment and is now in remission.

This alone would make Megan a real survivor, but well before any of this Megan had already battled for her life. Megan was born with both hips dislocated and was in splints until her hips stayed in place. Not only this but at 2 years old Megan underwent open heart surgery.

Throughout all of this, Megan has never complained, she never asks "why me". The only time Megan has ever cried was with her latest round of chemo when her hair began to fall out.