Liam McNally
Team River is hosting a Family Fun Day fundraiser at the Bacchus Marsh Reserve on Sunday, October 13.
Three months before River Cambridge’s third birthday, he was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
Team River, a fundraising group run by friends of the Cambridge family to support them through River’s recovery, have organised a Family Fun Day.
The event will feature rides, freestyle motocross, an auction, food trucks, DJs, market stalls, and a raffle with over $20,000 in prizes.
Proceeds from the day will go to Rod and Candice Cambridge, who are unable to work while they look after River and their other two children.
River was diagnosed in April 2022. After an initial visit to the Ballarat emergency department presenting with flu-like symptoms, River went into cardiac arrest and was transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a critical condition. Within hours of River’s arrival at the RCH, the family’s worst fears were confirmed.
River spent the next week in PICU fighting for his life, intubated, on a dialysis machine, having blood/platelet transfusions, and various tests before going on to commence chemotherapy when he was well enough.
After two months River’s cancer was found to be so aggressive that it stopped responding to chemotherapy treatment, the percentage of Leukaemia cells in River’s blood had in fact increased.
River underwent a Bone Marrow Transplant after it was discovered River’s older brother Reid, 7, was a match.
River is still on the road to recovery and is currently battling a lung lung condition which can occur as a result of having a bone marrow transplant, however he has just returned home after seven months in hospital.
Rod Cambridge said the family are looking forward to the 100 day milestone post-transplant.
“[River’s] little personality is back and he’ll be looking forward to the freestyle motocross on the day that’s for sure,” he said.
“I can’t take my hat off enough to everyone who’s got on Team River and helped support it and get it to where it is now, it’s massive.
“You realise going through days like this that spending days with the family is pretty important. Leukaemia is a pretty rough road, but you can get through it.”
