2 Years Cancer Free

All clear! 2 years cancer free, praise God!

It always feels like such a long wait, but the clear result is always worth it!

What does this mean now?

I don’t have many answers at this point, but what I know is that the longer our boy is in remission, the better. Now, there are still effects from frontline treatment that he will need to navigate in years to come: kidneys, lungs, hearing, growth etc. But on a day like today, all we can find ourselves thinking about is how remarkable it is for Murphy to get to this point. To support this celebration, here are some remarks we’ve read today:

A phrase you’ll often hear in children’s oncology clinics:

“The longer you stay in remission, the more likely it is that remission is permanent.”

Murphy just crossed one of the biggest thresholds.

For high-risk neuroblastoma, the majority of relapses occur within the first 2 years after treatment. So hitting 2 years cancer-free is often considered a major survival milestone. Many pediatric oncologists will say that once a child reaches 2–3 years disease-free, the likelihood of cure increases dramatically.

Studies from groups like the Children’s Oncology Group show:

• Most relapses occur within 12–18 months

• The risk drops sharply after 24 months

• Relapse after 5 years is rare

Amen.

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Two years in sight

Hello!

With Murphy hitting a huge milestone in the coming days, I wanted to send through a short update, along with a few things we would love you to pray for.

But before we dive into tests and appointments, can I pause and share some fun pictures of the snow! This was during Charlotte’s once-in-20-year snow dump a few weeks back. After a mild Christmas, the temperature suddenly dropped and we had ice come down, followed by almost a foot of snow the week after!

Now for the update.

Our hope is that within a few days I’ll be able to send an update saying two years cancer-free! This will also mark the official end of the DFMO clinical trial Murphy has been part of.

Between now and then, Murphy has a few appointments coming up this week:

Monday (March 9):
• PET scan
• Lung function test
• Hearing test

Would you please pray that the PET scan is clear, and that his lungs and hearing remain unchanged? Thank you so much.

Just last week I was talking with someone about the beautiful community our family has experienced over these past four years, and how much we’ve been able to lean on your care, prayers, and support. We are deeply grateful.

This week I was reminded of the generational blessing in Numbers 6, given by God to Moses to share with Aaron and his sons:

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

This is my prayer over you.

Grateful for 2026

Hello family,

Gratitude is something that can easily be lost when life gets busy. Yet this perspective, this posture of thankfulness, has been something I’ve tried to keep at the forefront of our minds throughout this entire journey. Grateful for each day. Grateful for the roof over our heads. Grateful for the food on our table.

And yet, I’ll be the first to admit that at times I lose sight of what God has blessed us with, not just daily, but hourly. Even if that blessings means a lot of mess to clean after the kids ‘help out with cooking’ haha!

One blessing I am especially grateful for is the generosity of people… YOU.

It was early December when I began to feel concerned about how the bills would be paid and how finances would come together, especially with Christmas approaching. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. I love the gifts, the food, and the family time. But many of you will know how real it feels when your heart wants to be generous, yet your bank balance simply doesn’t reflect what your heart desires to give.

On one of those December days, while sitting with those concerns, I received an email from an organization letting us know they weren’t just providing our children with a gift, but multiple gifts for each child, including Natalie and myself. You truly have no idea what that email meant to us. It was overwhelming in the best possible way.

A heartfelt thank you to Michelle Fee from Cruise Planners in Florida for her incredible generosity.

I could tell countless stories of how we have seen blessing upon blessing upon blessing. A generous heart is incredibly attractive. Small acts like a tank of fuel paid for by a friend, a meal dropped off, or a financial gift at just the right time, carry so much weight.

One moment that stands out was the week of Christmas, when I was uncertain about a paycheck and bills that were due. Out of nowhere, a family sent us a gift that allowed peace to settle over our home during Christmas. That meant more than words can express.

And generosity hasn’t just come through provision. We’ve deeply appreciated generosity of time, a phone call, a check-in, a visit. There are so many ways to be generous, and we’ve felt surrounded by it.

Christmas 2025 was a blast. We were blessed to have my brother and sister-in-law visit with their girls, sharing a week full of activities, food, laughter, and genuine family time.

Between Waffle House runs, Christmas lights at McAdenville, an NFL game, countless coffees, and long chats, it was incredibly special to have family with us for Christmas, and we are so grateful for the effort they made to visit. I think I put on 5kgs during their visit!

In light of all this generosity and shared time, we feel prompted to be outward-looking as a family. As we plan our budget and calendar, we are intentionally creating space for our kids to practice generosity where possible.

I wonder how are you finding space in your calendar and budget to practice generosity in 2026?

Speaking of 2026, I hope your year has begun well, full of fresh hopes, dreams, and resolutions. I love how every new year feels like a reset. Somehow, from December 31 to January 1, we can go from feeling downcast to feeling hopeful. Rationally, nothing has changed except a number on the calendar, but internally, everything feels different.

And yes, I’m one of those hopeful New Year people too.

·      Fitness goals.

·      Weight goals.

·      New disciplines.

·      Old routines scrapped.

·      Outlandish ambitions.

·      Unrealistic resolutions.

I once heard a pastor say that most New Year’s resolutions end around January 8 or 9. Week two! Humans are funny like that.

Still, I want to pause and reflect on 2026, laying out some dreams, some plans, and also asking you to pray specifically for our dear boy, Murphy. There has been much excitement over the winter break, and I’ll share photos from our Christmas time together with family.

If you’re someone who feels unsure about what 2026 holds, I’m right there with you. Personally, and especially as we look ahead with Murphy, there’s a mix of hope and nervous anticipation.

It’s remarkable to think that in just a few months, Murphy will be completely off medication for the first time since September 2022. Nothing. That’s daunting, yes, but even more so, praiseworthy.

On a personal note, I’ve started this year in between jobs, having finished one role and preparing to begin another. It’s been a jolt to the system, trying to map out finances with no regular income and an income that currently falls well below what we need. Yet even in this, we trust that God is in complete control.

In our morning Bible readings, Natalie and I read Genesis 41:1 the other week, which says that for Joseph, “two full years had passed.” Joseph’s story is one of hardship, betrayed by his brothers, sold, imprisoned, forgotten. And yet, God was always with him. When Joseph thought his release was near, it didn’t come… and two more years passed.

It reminds us that while our timelines may feel off, God is never distant, and His favor remains.

Coming up in a couple of months is the conclusion of the DFMO trial, praise God! What a gift that Murphy was accepted and remained on the trial. Thank you for your prayers and support. The goal is to help Murphy stay in remission, which he is.

At the conclusion of the trial, Murphy will undergo further routine testing, including hearing exams, pulmonary tests, heart function tests, and a two-year PET scan. February and March will be big months. Please pray into the coming weeks for great results for Murphy!

One area we’ve been closely monitoring with Murphy’s care team is growth. Neuroblastoma patients often experience reduced growth in height and frame. At a parent conference last May, it became clear that we needed to be proactive.

A week ago, Natalie attended a significant appointment with an endocrinologist who specializes in growth. After nearly 30 years of practice, Murphy is only his fifth patient.

Here are a few key points from that appointment:

• The average boy Murphy’s age grows about 6cm per year. Murphy has grown only 1cm over the past couple of years.

• The positive news is that his growth plates remain open, giving us time to act.

• There must be another full year of remission before human growth hormones can be considered.

• An ethics committee will assess whether this path is viable.

• We need prayer that Murphy can and will grow naturally.

One important caution with growth hormone treatment is that it causes everything in the body to grow. Therefore, doctors must be completely certain there is no cancer present before proceeding.

When we imagine our family 20 years from now, we see Murphy sitting at the dinner table with his wife and children, laughing, full of life, sharing food and banter. Normal. Nothing is getting in the way of that vision. Can you pray with us for this to be the case?

As we step into 2026, my prayer for you is that your hopes, dreams, and resolutions would find fulfillment. You may feel like Joseph, waiting while years quietly pass, but perhaps this is the year when everything changes.

With gratitude and hope,

Daniel

A scare.

A Scare

We had one.

It was a week of waiting — waiting for a re-test.

And in the waiting, I couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. (Isaiah 40:31 was a true comfort)

I’m sure your mind would race at the thought of a scare. And as Calista taught our family about hyperboles last week, the one that stuck most in this moment was: “My mind raced a million miles an hour.”

It began last week when Murphy had a heart scan. It could have been cause for concern, but he aced that. It was actually a routine blood test that produced some unusual results.

After reviewing Murphy’s height and weight, the oncologist referred him to an endocrinologist (yep — another title I didn’t think I’d need to know in life…). Murphy hasn’t grown enough for the team to be satisfied, so further tests are needed to determine the best course of action. (Insert prayer point here.)

But that wasn’t the scare.

It was the blood panel that followed.

Like most visits, a few milliliters were drawn, and results were produced shortly after. Because Murphy had several tests done that day, Nat was still at the hospital when the results came back. Later that afternoon, she was brought into a room to talk through them.

As Nat sat there, the doctor explained that Murphy had a marker in his blood showing four times the normal amount of bone growth. Coupled with the fact that Murphy hasn’t physically grown, this reading could mean one of two things:

A mistake…
Or a form of bone cancer.

A scare.

A heart-stopping moment.

Words you never want to hear.

We knew this day might come. We’ve signed countless consent forms for dozens of drugs — some with “another cancer”listed as a possible side effect. But bone cancer? That came out of left field.

Trying not to panic, Nat left the appointment and called me on her way home.

Instantly, the words “It can’t be” echoed through my mind. That night, while driving, I prayed — calling out to God, declaring that Murphy’s fight with cancer was done.

Fast-forward a week.

Nat and I brought very few people into this space. We didn’t want to cause panic. But we did share with family, and we leaned hard on God for strength and peace.

This week, Murphy was re-tested.

And I can now share this: the doctor could hardly believe it. The results had come down significantly, and there is no concern that this is cancer.

In fact, this could simply be Murphy’s body finally trying to GROW taller.

No scare.

Happy tears.

Victory — again.

Thank You, Jesus.

Overall, this past month has been a FULL one.

Nat and I flew to Australia to secure a visa — over 40 hours of flight time for a three-minute interaction at the consulate in Sydney! Thankfully, it was successful. We’ve been granted a new two-year visa, allowing Murphy to continue care with his team and giving our kids two more years in their current schooling system.

The trip also allowed us to see family and friends, to share stories, and to testify to what God continues to do in Murphy’s life — and in ours. It’s always a joy to raise faith.

From the relief of securing our visa, to the tension of waiting for results, the past few weeks have brought both highs and lows. But it’s comforting to know that our God does not change — and because He doesn’t change, He is always present to help and to comfort.

In the coming weeks, we’ll have family visiting over the Christmas break, so keep an eye out for photos soon.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and continued support.

With gratitude,
Daniel

"Is cancer common?"

“Is cancer common?”

As we were in the car driving somewhere (we spend a lot of time in the car!), Murphy asked this question. Nat took a moment to consider how to answer and eventually replied with a simple, “No, your specific cancer isn’t very common.”

Murphy looked out the window, thought for a moment, and then followed with, “What if I get married one day? Will she want to be my wife even though I have an uncommon cancer?”

What a deep reflection—a thought that is scary to consider—and I have no idea where this line of thinking even stems from. Banana bread in September (read the last blog for context)… now thinking through the longevity of marriage?! I think we have a deep thinker on our hands. Maybe a cancer journey, regardless of age, matures you in a supernatural way. Or… I’m simply overthinking it?!

Our family has been thriving of late—busy with fall sports, calendar commitments, pumpkin spice lattes and life. I have been commuting to Atlanta for 2-3 days per week, which has created a new family rhythm. It’s been a couple of months since I last posted. I’ve had many moments where I wanted to sit and write, but as each day ends, I find myself pushing it to the next day. I have lots to update you on—from the kids, life events, and upcoming prayer needs!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been prompted to give thanks to the hundreds of you who have supported our family. In pursuit of giving thanks, I logged onto our GoFundMe (which has been closed for over 18 months now) to read through some of your names, and I am still in shock that nearly 700 different donations were made in February of last year. Each donation representing an act of generosity. As we settled in Charlotte, set up a home and established a new routine and way of doing life, we could not have done it without you.

I have a postcard for you, but there’s no way of finding out everyone’s address. If you would like one, please email me your name address at danieljamesnowak89@gmail.com and I would love to send you one!

It’s also timely to share a work update. Many of you don’t know how we were first able to secure a visa to move to Charlotte early last year. Having known no one in the ‘Queens City’—except a lovely friend of a friend—I sent off a number of job applications. Weeks passed and I received no response from any of them. It was at that point that an answer to prayer took place: the church in Atlanta, where we served in 2020 and 2021, had a need and offered me a role. This opportunity opened the way for our whole family to migrate, rather than Murphy and Nat making many trips back and forth between Adelaide and Charlotte.

The work project has now concluded, and remote work with them is no longer an option. Therefore, I’ve been applying for a new job locally in Charlotte. It hasn’t been easy over the past few months—especially when I bring up the sponsorship component of the conversation. After many closed doors, Nat’s employer said yes to sponsoring her for a new visa. Praise God!

This means that Nat and I will need to return to Australia to interview at the U.S. Consulate. Can you please pray that the visa interview in Sydney on the 25th of November goes smoothly? If successful, this will allow us to stay for another two years.

“Isn’t the trial only for two years? Why would you want to stay in the land of hot dog-eating contests and no fairy bread?!” Good question.

Although we still keep our Australianisms—witches hats instead of traffic cones, footpath instead of sidewalk, espresso machines instead of Keurig cups—Nat and I spent a lot of time praying about our family’s next step. It became evident that our family needed time to grow roots after four significant moves in four years. Adelaide to Atlanta, then to Gympie, Queensland, back to Adelaide and now in Charlotte. Furthermore, and more importantly, Murphy’s treatment does finish at the two-year mark (early March 2026), but there will be follow-up tests and scans which could take several months to complete. Therefore, we feel peace about staying here and settling a little longer. What we have learnt through a cancer journey is that we’ve learnt to hold life pretty loosely.

It hasn’t been an easy decision. Employment and provision feel uncertain, and the distance from deep long-term relationships with family and friends takes a toll. I think that’s why I’ve procrastinated writing this blog for so long—it’s been heavy carrying the weight of job applications and navigating next steps for our family. Nat has been so gracious, resilient, and strong as she takes charge with securing the family visa. A mighty woman—which will be no surprise to you, I’m sure.

The kids are none the wiser, enjoying fall sports, school, and fun. Murphy’s baseball season didn’t end with a victory, but he grew so much as a player of a new sport. Each game he set new goals for himself—for example, getting to first base, then in the next game, second base. Over the season he even made it to home base a couple of times, punching his fist into the air with excitement! He also looks darn cute in that baseball outfit!

Winter

Coming into winter, all the boys have decided to play basketball again! Saturdays will soon become a busy logistical puzzle that Nat will absolutely crush. Also, Calista has been cast in the Charlotte Ballet Nutcracker again, as well as a key role in her high school musical early in 2026! What joy it is to see your children find a sport or activity they thrive in. (I wonder if that’s what God feels when we walk in the calling He has for us?!)

Hearing

Murphy has had several appointments recently for his hearing aids because he’s growing and needs new inserts. A necessary change, but it hasn’t been without challenges. After the fitting, testing, and creation of the new molds, he reluctantly put them on last week. The inserts help tailor the right sounds he needs to hear, but they required an adjustment. When he put the new ones in, he looked at Nat and said he wanted his old ones back. Another new thing for Murphy to adjust to. We know these will help him immensely in the classroom—a place he LOVES. We are so blessed to have a boy who loves learning.

Season Changes

With Halloween over, Thanksgiving around the corner, and Christmas in sight, we decided to make the early call to put up decorations and lights. When Murphy asked what “traditions” our family has, Christmas is definitely one where we share many! It was a lot of fun getting hot chocolates from Starbucks and choosing new ornaments for our tree.

I know this is a longer update because it’s been a couple of months, but I want to end with a thought I had yesterday. As I was running the Charlotte Marathon with a couple of friends, I was challenged by the sign in the picture below. This sign was posted on the course at the halfway mark—a point where half-marathon runners took the left path (ending their race), while full-marathon runners had to take the right path and keep running for another 13 miles / 21 km.

The second half of the marathon killed me. After the enjoyment of the first half faded, I was left tired, sore, and with muscled cramping as I limped through the remainder of the run. How often does this happen in life? The initial joy of faith in Jesus is soon met with pain as trials and troubles come.

That’s why I love the idea of endurance sports—they align so well with what we read in Hebrews:

Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Thank you again for your support near and far!

Daniel

Seven!

September 1, 2018.

This is the date Murphy had to repeat to the nurses every time he was given more medications over the past few years in hospital. His sweet voice saying it is etched into my memory forever. And now, this week, we celebrate his 7th birthday! Like every birthday, it’s a milestone—a chance to reflect, celebrate, eat cake, and share the joy of unwrapping presents.

I often think of those whose religious beliefs don’t allow them to celebrate birthdays. For us, as Christians, it’s a precious opportunity to thank God for another year He has gifted us.

As a last-minute decision—and a complete surprise to our kids—Nat and I found a cheap night away in Charleston, SC, over the long weekend. After church, Nat left a clue for the kids to find, and once they cracked the code, we packed the car and set off on our four-hour journey to the charming beachside town. We wandered the streets, enjoyed delicious pizza and ice cream, played in the hotel room, and soaked up family time together.

On Monday morning, Murphy woke up to a balloon-filled hotel room, presents galore, a yummy breakfast, donut cake for morning tea, and a dose of sunshine at the beach. Pure bliss.

Last Sunday’s sermon was from the gospel of Mark, recounting when Jesus took His weary disciples by boat, giving them a moment of rest before continuing their ministry. The preacher spoke of how God sometimes gives us “little boats” in life—moments of pause and renewal. For our family, last weekend was exactly that: a little boat.

Update

I know I haven’t updated you yet on the PET scan from last week—my apologies. Between the scan, birthday celebrations, and two more days in hospital for other tests, I thought it best to share everything together. But let me start with this:

Cancer-Free

Praise be to God! All glory to Him. At Murphy’s 18-month scan, the results showed NED (No Evidence of Disease).

We are so grateful to everyone who sent encouragement and prayers before the scan. These days are still nerve-wracking, but we continue to be faith-filled! And let me share of when we were driving down to the hospital with Murphy in the back of the car. Nat and I were sitting up front and asked if he was worried about the scan. After a pause, Murphy responded with a tone of deep worry, “mum, I’m not worried about the scan, but I am worried that I don’t know how to bake banana bread for my wife one day.” Wow! Murphy’s faith in this moment encouraged us so much! How is this kid worrying about his future wife at his young age! This response shows us ‘semi-wise’ adults that we ought to not worry! If Murphy can be thinking about BAKING in 20 years’ time, who are we to worry about a scan! Needless to say, the following day Nat went to work in showing our boy how to bake a classic ‘Women’s Weekly recipe’ banana bread! I may have had seconds, then thirds, then…

Some of the other scans didn’t carry the same level of positivity, but God is always faithful to give us something to bring before Him in prayer. Two main areas remain on our hearts:

Kidneys

Many of you know this has been an ongoing concern. In his ultrasound this week, one kidney isn’t growing at the same rate as the other and has shrunk. If it stops growing altogether, it could become ineffective. But our prayer—and hope—is that it will keep growing and remain healthy!

Hearing

This is almost the only outward sign cancer has left, as Murphy wears his hearing aids (we lovingly call them his Super Ears). Recently, both at home and in class, we’ve noticed a decline in his hearing, which is critical as he learns to read and write. This week’s scan showed more than a 20% drop. The doctors may pause the drug trial if the hearing loss remains at this level. Since Murphy also had a mild ear infection, we’re holding onto hope for improvement. In a month, Murphy will have another hearing test. Could it be another miracle—Murphy regaining his full hearing? Only God knows.

Joy

I end with joy. Because no matter the circumstances, we remind ourselves to choose joy. True joy doesn’t come from what’s happening around us—it springs from deep within.

And today, we are full of joy: Murphy is SEVEN. That alone is cause for celebration.

A moment that caught me today was while sitting in Murphy’s hospital treatment room, listening to the doctor review his scans. In the middle of all the discussion—ears, kidneys, and PET results—she mentioned something that made me pause: the handover of care to a “survivorship team.”

Beat.

This was the first real conversation we’ve had with Murphy’s care team about such a transition. Woohoo! Within six months, Murphy will begin alternating appointments between his oncologist and the survivorship team.

What a milestone.
What a blessing.
Praise God.

School is back!

What a cool dude!

The backpacks are packed, the buses are rolling, and somehow—we have officially entered a new season of life. Back to school has never felt so big for our family. For the first time, all four of our kids are in four different schools: primary school, elementary, middle school, and… wait for it… HIGH SCHOOL. 

All Smiles in the Classroom
The good news? Every single one of our kids has started the year loving their teachers and already connecting with friends. That alone feels like a miracle worth celebrating. It’s not lost on us that the gift of a healthy school start is something we once prayed desperately for in hospital rooms. Seeing each of them walk confidently into their classrooms brings tears of gratitude.

(over) Committed Calista!

How on earth do we already have a high schooler?! I blinked, and suddenly the toddler who once wore bathers to kindy in winter due to a tantrum is now in her ‘freshman’ year of High School (along with 1700 others!). Calista is already loving her theatre class (are you surprised…daughter of a drama teacher hehe)! Between her new demanding class schedule, Calista has moved up a grade at the Charlotte Ballet, as well as be accepted into the student leadership program at Elevation Church. Nat and I may be playing timekeeper and taxi drivers…

Hugo the Footballer
Hugo hasagain taken on something foreign this year for this Aussie family—American football! This season he’s chosen to play as a defensive lineman, which feels very fitting for our big-hearted, strong-willed young man - however he’s about 90 pound under the weight of his counterparts haha! One game in, and he’s already learning the art of grit, teamwork, and the intensity that comes with those football Wednesdays. 

Ted’s Yellow Bus Adventure
Then there’s Ted. Oh Ted. On the very first day at his new school, he managed to board the wrong yellow school bus home. The kind of thing you laugh about later—but in the moment, I’ll admit our hearts skipped a beat. Thankfully, the school sheriff and team were incredible, tracking him down quickly and making sure he got safely back where he needed to be. Let’s just say, we’re now triple-checking bus numbers in the afternoons. Nat even wrote his bus number in permanent marker on his hand for the next few days!

Murphy the Champion
And of course, there’s Murphy. Our boy continues to prove he’s every bit the champion we’ve all grown to love. His new class teacher already adores him, especially his thirst for learning. She commented that he leans into every lesson with curiosity and joy. That’s just who Murphy is—resilient, hungry for life, and shining bright even in the everyday moments.

How You Can Pray
As always, we invite you to stand with us in prayer:
- This Tuesday: PET scan for Murphy. Naturally, nerves come with it on a human level, but our spirits are anchored in faith.
- September 2: Kidney ultrasound and review.
- Late September: ECG, Cardiology, and Pulmonologist review.

We feel the weight of these appointments, yet we know the God who has carried us this far is the same God who will not let go.

A Birthday to Celebrate
And in the middle of it all, a milestone worth shouting from the rooftops: Murphy turns 7 years old on September 1st! Every candle on that cake will be a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Please join us in praising Him for another year of life, joy, and miracle after miracle.

From high school hallways to first-day bus adventures, from football fields to PET scans, this season is packed with change. Yet through it all, one truth remains: God is good, and His hand is steady on our family. Thank you for walking this road with us. Your prayers, love, and encouragement mean more than words can say.

Summer

School holidays are a long, a 12-week marathon in the USA compared to Australia’s six-week summer sprint break. Australia opts for a six-inch sub compared to America’s foot-long break! As a dad, I’ve loved every moment—allowing the kids to be kids, letting boredom spark new games, adventuring to the library, enjoying plenty of pool time, and so much more. Today’s blog captures some of our family’s summertime happenings and shares a few great links for you to check out. You mean so much to our family, and I try my best to periodically give insight into our world.

The other week, an opportunity presented itself to Nat and I: we got to share Murphy’s story with friends who host an uplifting, courage-fueled podcast based in Nashville. Six months after we were first asked, the time was right. Nat and I received a couple of questions to prepare, but when the hosts—Jack and Riley Kehoe—clicked record, they asked only one question:

“Share with us Murphy’s story.”

After nearly an hour of sharing, Nat and I paused and asked, “Did you want to ask any of the questions you sent?” Tears streamed down Jack’s face after hearing an hour of God’s miraculous wonders in Murphy’s journey, and he shook his head and said, “Keep talking.” Being able to tell Murphy’s story unapologetically and uninterrupted was like therapy for the soul. Since the episode’s release, we’ve been filled with faith again, hearing how Murphy’s story has touched so many lives. God has been so kind. If you’d like to encourage someone today, please share the episode:

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

• YouTube

• Three Seconds of Courage (Book) - Check out Riley’s recent book.

Let’s zoom right back to the beginning of summer…Destin! With generous support from the Tyler Robertson Foundation, our family enjoyed a few days in the sun thanks to a “family grant.” We chose Destin, Florida—where we’ve been twice before—because we loved it. Some might say we’re creatures of habit. We didn’t get up to much besides the beach, the lazy river, swimming in the pool, and soaking up the sun.

One special surprise on the second-to-last night came when we were out for dinner (Italian, of course). We’d all eaten and were ready to head back to the apartment to wind down and watch a movie. Just before I grabbed the bill, Murphy decided he’d rather keep the French fry basket than give it back. He confidently asked the waitress for it—and she kindly offered it to him! (It’s now a prized possession at bath time, as he uses it for a shark game.) The kids and I proceeded to the car and sat waiting for Nat. If you know Nat, you’d know I wasn’t concerned by her disappearance—she probably found someone to talk to, most likely the waitress. Five minutes later, Nat came out and said she’d booked a family photo shoot for our last day in Destin…What?! Is the waitress a photographer too? Actually, it wasn’t the waitress but a woman sitting next to us. On her way out, Nat felt led to encourage another mum who was dining with her three older sons. It’s always nice to see families around a table and talking, especially when teens and young adults converse with their parents. It didn’t take long for Nat to learn this mother’s story, and she generously offered to meet us at the beach the next day for some pictures. Isn’t it amazing how God places people in and around our lives? Maybe someone you see today could use encouragement—not because you want a photoshoot, but because when we notice something uplifting, we should share it with those around us!

Next on our summer update are the younger two: Murphy and Ted found a great church offering week-long Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs, where they learned about space, trees, little critters, and more! Sandwiched between the VBS weeks was a visit from our dear friends from Franklin, TN. The Evans came and hung out for a few days to surprise the kids and Nat! It was difficult to keep this a secret, because I’m a hopeless surprise keeper (for the record, I think I’ve told Nat about nearly every present I’ve bought her in the past 19 years!). With the house ecstatic upon their arrival, the eight kids PLAYED for days—pool time, Target trips, board games, trampoline time, hide-and-seek, and much more!

With OKC winning the NBA championship, it was fun seeing all the kids get into the finals to kick-start summer! Hugo mostly fed the younger boys trivia and stats, steering them toward his desired outcome. When it came to fanfare, Nat brought the hype on each game day! Murphy took a while to realize LeBron wasn’t in the finals and that another team was playing. Calista remained impartial, choosing to sing and dance during each timeout. I was simply in it for the family bonding, close games and the snacks.

Outside of NBA viewings, VBS learning, and sun-soaked vacations, we’ve had plenty of home days filled with play. It’s been a pleasure to watch the kids run, giggle, imagine, and create! Nat and I sometimes walk into whichever room they’re in and look past the “mess” to see the children being themselves. It’s the same for adults: sometimes it looks like a mess has been made, but it’s actually fun to take what life throws your way and choose joy.

This same joy was what Calista chose when we told her we wouldn’t be paying for her summer dance classes. Nat and I wrestled with the decision, as we strongly feel the dance floor is Calista’s outlet and that God has given her the ability and passion to dance. However, the cost was too much for Nat and me to cover, leading to a tough conversation. Calista, wise beyond her years, took the news exceptionally well, choosing joy. We didn’t stop there. We reapplied for a partial scholarship, though we weren’t too confident because we’d been denied support in August 2024. A day after sending the email, Nat was thrilled to read that Calista was offered a scholarship covering the entire summer intensive—praise God!

CNCF Conference

Reflections from the CNCF Conference

What a weekend this has been—truly insightful and richly rewarding. For those who didn't read last week's entry, Nat and I (along with Murphy and Ted) attended the CNCF (Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation) annual conference in Washington D.C.

This unique conference is designed specifically for parents of children with neuroblastoma. It brings together speakers from leading studies and advancements globally, and was held in D.C. this year because it coincided with the Annual Neuroblastoma Research (ANR) conference. The ANR conference is for medical professionals dedicated to advancing neuroblastoma treatment. When I learned there were over 1,000 delegates at the ANR conference, I fought off a strong wave of emotions—1,000 doctors, scientists, investigators, and medical staff working around the clock to find better solutions for kids like Murphy. For every one attending, there are countless more back at their labs and hospitals. This weekend immersed us in information that, for the most part, gives us hope for the future. Thank God.

I'm grateful for the means to experience this weekend. I honestly wasn't in a position to afford it, but as the conference approached, I asked a close friend for help. A quick "of course" meant tickets were booked. Thank you to that friend, and thank you all for your continued interest in our boy's journey.

The Journey

Our weekend began Friday night flying from Charlotte to Maryland. I managed to get the boys safely on the plane, but Murphy had a rough landing and vomited. In my motion-sick state and with Murphy's worsening cough, it was a very quiet Uber ride to the hotel. After dinner, we raced to our room to wind down. In true dad fashion, I spoiled the boys with ice cream before bed.

Saturday morning, we ventured to the conference. Not knowing what to expect, I was unsure how the boys would cope in the kids' room. But they quickly ran off, made friends, played with toys, and were looked after by wonderful volunteers. I grabbed coffee and prepared for what became a mountain of stats, data, graphs, and complex medical terms.

From the first few minutes, I was struck with mixed emotions. I didn't want to be there learning about this disease or for Murphy to have gone through it. But I was also in a room with 50 other parents, listening to world leaders fighting for a cure. That emotional moment returned regularly as memories swept me back to Murphy's toughest fight between 2022 and 2024—the effects he still experiences today. The medications, scans, weight loss, muscle depletion, complications—the list goes on.

Key Learnings

Let me share some of what I learned over those two days:

Medical Advancements: If Murphy was born 30-50 years ago, his chances of survival would have been drastically different. There have been huge advancements in the COG (Children's Oncology Group) protocol.

Ongoing Research: Doctors and investigators aren't resting. They're still not satisfied with current survival rates or the toxicity of existing treatments.

Three Promising Trials:

• CAR T Cell Therapy: Led primarily by St. Jude Hospital, this treatment is mind-blowing when you understand how it works.

• DFMO: Recently approved for use but still under trial to explore additional applications within the protocol.

• Vaccine: A single-site study from Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Hospital showing promising results.

Late Effects Studies: Growing focus on reducing treatment toxicity. Current treatments can cause reduced growth, kidney issues, and lung problems.

Combined Treatments: Chemotherapy and immunotherapy together—once considered impractical 20 years ago—is now being tested worldwide. At MSK, they're using different induction treatments hoping to avoid high-dose chemo rounds that accompany stem cell transplants. This was difficult to hear, as Murphy's hearing loss is directly linked to those early treatments.

Improved Scanning: MFBG scans are showing great results, meaning future patients won't need iodine infusions 24 hours before scans, and scan duration will drop from 2 hours to 10 minutes. Imagine how much less medication Murphy would have needed!

Liquid Biopsies: Nat and I were excited about these findings. CHOP has developed a test using small patient samples to discover ctDNA (circulating tumor DNA). This can track and detect disease earlier, meaning earlier treatment and hopefully more lives saved.

Reality Check

As positive as this information was, we also heard the harsh reality: while doctors work to beat cancer, the cancer itself is getting smarter against new treatments.

What moved me most was hearing each presenter share their journey into neuroblastoma research. Each time, I was a mess. At one point, I had to go to the back of the room to collect tissues for Nat. We weren't moved by the science of discoveries, but by the people who have dedicated their lives to fighting this disease. Their sacrifice is truly inspirational.

A Lighter Moment

I'll end with a funny story from Saturday's dinner. We shared family-style plates of pasta, chicken, and roasted vegetables, but Murphy wasn't enjoying anything. The appetizers came and went, the pasta looked too "smelly," and the creamy chicken was forgotten. I turned to UberEats, ordering nuggets and fries to be delivered to our restaurant. When ready, I snuck outside, hid the food under my sweater, and felt like a CIA agent smuggling something precious into the private function. This mission was met with a huge grin and a full stomach. Maybe I should research how to get kids to eat more vegetables—though that's not a cancer-related phenomenon, it's an age-old problem!

Thank you for reading. It's been helpful to consolidate two days of intensive learning into something more digestible.

God is good!

Daniel

School's Out!

Hello friends! It is with great joy that I share some family updates!

School's Out!

To think that Murphy has completed his first complete year of school was something dreams were made of—now it's here and we're thanking God for His goodness! Murphy didn't just survive his first year; he crushed it! Today marks his final day of schooling, after a few days of class fun and celebrations this week! Yesterday, Nat was able to attend the class party, and tears were freely flowing. Remarkably, Murphy was awarded the 'Awesome Energy' award! What?! Here was a boy that we held in our hands in 2023 and only felt his skin and bones, someone struggling to make it past midday without a nap, and a boy who couldn't even walk from his bed to the couch without being carried partway! Praise God! His teacher publicly told the class how Murphy never skipped a beat, always smiled, and made his class want to do better each day! Our boy is a true inspiration!

In recent weeks, Murphy's schooling has been filled with fun! Letterland parade, Fun Run, field trips, Field Day, and more! You'll enjoy these photos!

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Soccer Firsts!

A few weeks ago, our family was gifted some tickets to our first-ever soccer game! It was quite an experience for us all. With no real reference to go by, I convinced the kids to come and try something new! When we rolled up to the Bank of America Stadium, heard the drums beating, and ate some game food, it was getting exciting... then an hour later, with no scoring in sight, Murphy was shocked to find out the score was 0-0! Haha! We lasted another half hour before it became too late for the kiddos. An ice cream from McDonald's on the way home turned our tired and confused car into a late-night car filled with smiles. I don't think Murphy will be the next Ronaldo, but he can say he's had fun at a Charlotte FC game!

A Character!

There are many words to describe Murphy, but lately, I'm noticing his incredibly fun character! In fact, he is a true 'character.' He's always smiling, chuckling, and up to something!

Easter 2025

I know this feels like a long time ago, but a few weeks back we drove down to ATL to spend time with friends. It was a much-needed trip, with lots of smiles and conversations. Calista celebrated her birthday with a high tea, along with Nat, Glenda, and her American grandma, Mrs. Gail! The kids all ate their body weight in candy and chocolate as they hunted for eggs all around the state of Georgia!

Summer Is Here!

Pool, pool, and more pool! This Aussie Nowak family has already been at the pool A LOT in the past few weeks, even if the temperature has been on the lower end—our kids love the water! Coming up in the next three months over summer are a heap of activities! Some highlights the kids are looking forward to:

• A few days in Destin, Florida. A charity has gifted us a couple of days at a hotel, which will be cherished by the family!

• Hugo, Ted, and Murphy all have a couple of weeks of various summer camps.

• Calista has a 6-week intensive with the Charlotte Ballet.

• Calista and Hugo have youth camp in July, which we're praying will be a transformative experience!

• Sunshine and pool swims!

Formal, Florida, and Playoffs

Aside from trips, events, and 'what nexts,' I wanted to share some other family-related news.

• Calista had her 8th Grade 'formal'! This has been a big year for her, graduating middle school after attending 5 different schools! We are so proud of her, leading her study cohort in the role of 'student body president' in a middle school of 1,500 students (across only 3 grades!). Calista has made friends from all backgrounds, excelled in her studies, and danced her heart out this past year!

• To continue my praise for Calista, she is a young woman who isn't shy about her faith. At church one night, the regional leader heard her talk about Murphy in her small group and wanted her to share at the combined youth service! So in front of hundreds of her peers at youth, Calista stood and shared about God's goodness and miracle power! Praise God!

• Now Hugo's turn! Hugo has excelled at school, along with many areas of his life, but I want to focus on his music pursuits. Here's a boy who knew very little about music before he walked into the 100-strong music class at Harris Road Middle School! After slowly falling into the percussion section, it became apparent that every other kid knew how to read music—just not our boy... But it wasn't long before he applied himself and gained a seat to go to Florida on a band trip! He played with the band in a real studio at Universal, as well as creating a lot of lifelong memories! Finally, he ended the year by receiving the 'most improved' award at the end-of-year recital! Go Hugo!

• Now our third beautiful child, Teddy! Ted has had a wonderful year at school and has loved his sporting pursuits! This season on the baseball field has been a growing season, with the final playoff game being their sole win for the season. Ted has enjoyed being on a team and contributing what he can to it. He has also shown remarkable care in his class, being awarded the 'smile maker.' His teacher shared that not a day goes by where he doesn't make the class smile!

Thank you for your continued love, prayers, and support. Your care gives us more than you'll know. In closing, this weekend Nat, Ted, Murphy, and I are headed to Washington, D.C., for a neuroblastoma conference. I look forward to sharing with you what we learn.

Much love,

Daniel

All clear.

PET is Clear!

Amen. Praise God!

Yesterday was a longer day at the hospital for Murphy, with the PET scan in the morning and a check-up in the afternoon. In true Murphy style, he braved it like a champion: all smiles, games, and fun.

This positive attitude doesn't diminish the emotions we were all experiencing. The day before, we had big "what if" conversations and deeply passionate prayers pleading with God for a clear result. Thankfully, our pastors came over with food and games that evening, both to fill our stomachs and souls with nourishment and to distract our wandering minds!

The Results

The PET scan results show no new uptake of the radioactive agent, meaning there is no detectable cancerous activity. This is cause for celebration, as the possibility of relapse is a very real possibility. But our God is greater.

For Those Wanting More Details

To follow on from last week's update, Murphy is still trying to overcome pneumonia. He is on his second type of antibiotic, as well as a couple of inhalers. We have seen some improvement, but ultimately, we would love to see him be able to run without coughing and sleep through the night without waking up. If you could pray for that, it would be appreciated.

Despite this mild sickness, Murphy is showing great signs of health, with his blood tests on track. His weight has remained stable, and his height has increased over the past year.

From what we know, the longer Murphy remains cancer-free, the stronger, healthier, and fitter his body can become!

Thank you for your continued support, love, and prayers! You will never know how much we appreciate it!

If you have the time, look back on the journey from September 2022, and you’ll see how mighty God has been! One of the first blogs is here, and it’ll shock you how far Murphy has come!

1 Year Cancer Free

Hey, 

This is a shorter blog to simply say, “please pray”. Murphy has a couple of important scans and milestone tests next week that we would love prayer for. On Monday March 10th, Murphy will head into hospital for a full day of Kidney function testing and scans, this will be his first evaluation in 6 months. On Wednesday, March 12th, Murphy will have his full body PET Scan to check for signs of relapse as we are now at the 1 year remission mark! Praise God! Scans and tests bring a level of nerves for the whole family, especially in the week prior. We believe we will have good results to report this time next week, but as a family we journey this ‘week before’, together in prayer and often talk about the Hope we have in God with the kids. It really is the only way to approach these big scans and tests!  This has been the longest we have been without a PET or MIBG since diagnosis. Please pray and believe with us that it’s a clear result next Wednesday for Murphy.

A few weeks back Murphy developed a cough, which seemed to not pass when other family members recovered from the virus. After a check-up and x-ray it was evident Murphy had Pneumonia . Pneumonia can be one of the side effects of the clinical trial medication DFMO Murphy's is on, so Doctors need to manage this carefully. The fortunate thing was that it only took a couple of days for his chest to improve and clear and a turn-around in his energy! Praise God! Murphy seems to have really coped with this well, and after a few days' rest he was desperate to get back to school and basketball.

Another update that I’ve been needing to share is regarding Murphy’s hearing. Fluid retention and slight loss was to be expected, as it’s a common side-effect of DFMO, and we have gradually seen his hearing declining. What we have learnt is that this hearing loss was in-part due to increasing fluid in the ears from the DFMO. In the latter part of 2024, Murphy was getting an ear infection nearly every month. This constant ear pain and discomfort sped up the process of Murphy getting to see an ENT and having ear tubes inserted in a short surgery. After only a week, Murphy’s hearing was retested, and Praise God because he scored much better than he did pre-surgery! 

Nat has been a super mum, like always, caring for all four of her kids, and especially her boys these past few weeks. As her ENT appointments finished for Murphy’s tubes, Hugo’s sinus needed clearing, which led her there for a procedure this Monday. What made Nat feel like a frequent flyer was that on that same Monday appointment she needed to book Ted in for a check-up on Friday of this week because he has a broken nose from a Trampoline/ Basketball incident. Any parents of boys reading this will understand I am sure haha! 

To finish, I must share the celebration we had in our recent trip to Tennessee. As we had a weekend with friends, we paused to share a cake to celebrate 1-year cancer free! ONE.YEAR.CANCER.FREE!  This is such a huge Milestone and reminder of God’s healing Miracle and  it does give us a great reason to celebrate! Thank you for celebrating with us, for praising God together and to look at the challenges of life knowing that our God is greater.

Make-A-Wish

Dude Perfect!

Thanks to Make-A-Wish, our family was able to hang out with DUDE PERFECT! However, if you don’t have kids, or your kids are well and truly past the age of YouTube, let me introduce you to our family’s favorite Youtubers… 5 college mates who started making trick shot videos when YouTube was in its infancy. They’ve broken world records, filmed on every continent, amassed billions of views, and they’re having the time of their life filming their fun antics while giving God the glory.

This post is one I have wanted to write for MONTHS! However, due to us being invited to their new Texas based headquarters, all the Make-A-Wish families couldn’t post anything until the ‘Dudes’ released the video of their new premises. A video you can find HERE.

In December of 2022 I lodged an application with Make-A-Wish Australia. I wrote this application knowing it might take some time (and I was not wrong) but the heart of it was to make sure Murphy had some incredible experiences lined up to look forward throughout treatment. Early in 2023 a Make-A-Wish volunteer came to our home and visited Murphy, capturing his ‘wish’. Unfortunately, the ‘wish’ could not progress during ’23, and then in Feb ’24, we had to cancel the wish because it couldn’t transfer overseas. In April of 2024 we re-lodged the ‘wish’ application again, and the team here in Charlotte worked with the Aussie team to recapture the wish. Four months after this process the phone rang and it was the team at Make-A-Wish with flight details and an itinerary for Murphy and the whole family!

Unselfishly, Murphy chose to meet the Dudes, as he knew it would bring pure joy to all of his siblings (and mum and dad too!). This is a testament to who Murphy is, caring through and through. He kept saying over and over “my wish is for my whole family.”

Our Texas adventure was filled with much excitement and a whole lot of adventure! The Make-A-Wish Foundation looked after everything from leaving our home on a Sunday afternoon, through to arriving home on Wednesday. Such a blessing for our family, and memories that will last far beyond some of those hard memories of his cancer treatment.

After arriving Sunday, Monday was a rest day, where we were able to visit the Dallas area, eat out, check out Crayola Experience, buy some merch and hang as a family. Then Tuesday was when we got to meet the guys! A bus picked up the 10 families staying at the same hotel and we were transported to the new Dude Perfect warehouse! The kids were bursting. When we arrived, we were greeted by the Dudes and they simply said to us all, “we have three hours to hang, nowhere is off limits, go and have fun!” And with that, the kids ran throughout their place, shooting Nerf with Coby, Sim racing with Cody, Shooting hoops with Cory, Baseball with Tyler and Soccer with Garret! The kids well all pretty star-struck for a while but warmed up eventually! It was such a surreal time, and it was a testament to how real and down-to-earth the ‘dudes’ are. Murphy and the kids walked away beaming with excitement!

I felt strongly to write a letter to each of the guys, and thank them for their testimony, because we saw them in North Carolina at a live show late in 2021 and were captivated by their boldness in how they shared their faith. We were a part of a 10,000 seat arena (with seats in the nose bleeds) watching their 2021 tour show and the ‘dudes’ shared faith, trials, life and gave a salvation prayer at the end. I wanted to write to them simply thanking them for all they have done, thanking their families for the sacrifice and sharing howe incredible it is to have safe, entertaining and family friendly TV on in our house for years that as a parent I can trust. And as a family we were all able to give this letter, along with a jar of Vegemite! I doubt the Dudes have eaten their way through the jar of salty goodness, but one of the dudes reached out personally afterwards to say thanks (and gave a great recommendation for where to have dinner that Tuesday night!).

A huge thank you to Make-A-Wish, who grant 1000s of wishes each year and impact many lives! Thank you for the Dudes, and their staff! The team even managed to find out that it was Ted’s birthday, so they sung Happy Birthday to him! So so special! This experience that we had was a topic of conversation countless times in hospital, and to see it come to fruition was so fun! We truly are incredibly blessed.

2024 Wrapped

What a year 2024 has been. A year described as ‘more in ‘24’, it showed off in ways we couldn’t have imagined! I want to take a step back this blog and see the entire year as a complete gift. And the best way to do that is like Spotify’s end-of-year highlights, ‘Murphy’s Miracle Wrapped’. A taste of the best bits, along with some fun ways to reflect on the year that’s been.

Miracles

I cannot start with anything else but to say, ‘our boy is cancer free!’.  If you’ve followed from the start, you’ve ridden over 2 years of a rollercoaster that is Neuroblastoma treatment with us. ’24 saw the biggest Murphy Miracle, and that was the complete eradication of cancer cells in his body! September 2022 during diagnosis we were informed that the doctors stopped counting the number of cancer tumors in Murphy’s body, due to the number exceeding 1000. In Feb 2024, the doctors couldn’t count a single tumor. That was, and is, the miracle I want to hold onto and be reminded of every single day! Thank You God.

                  It would be remiss of me to not mention that 2024 didn’t just have a single miracle, because I know our God is far bigger than that and I’m sure you’ve had your share of miracles too! I’ve also learnt to not neglect seeing the little miracles along the way to the ‘big miracle’. When you begin to see miracles, (the world calls them coincidence or happenstance, urgh!?!) you begin to see them everywhere, Gods hand in every situation! How I end almost every day’s prayer is the simple phrase, ‘Thank You God for another day’; it is a miracle that we see a new day, every day, that our family is whole and healed, today is a gift from God.  

As you continue to read, I’ll share the rest of what our family saw and experienced last year, and how I view them is through the lens of a Miracle working God.

Support

Second to God healing Murphy, the miracle of 2024 is the incredible support we received last year. Support from family, friends and even strangers, a community of people who have held our hand, delivered encouraging notes, sewed quilt patches, blessed us with gifts, offered time to help, cooked meals (or meal vouchers, which means Marco’s PIZZA for the Nowak’s ha-ha), provided us with cars, secured a rental in Charlotte, and the forever loving and heartfelt prayers of support. I’m speechless when I stop to think of the thousands of people near and far who linked arms with us and prayed for a miracle for Murphy. Speechless.

                  There was one significant miracle last year, and that was around the area of financial provision for our family.  January 2024, I stood up and asked our closest friends and family for financial support, so that we could relocate and get life-saving treatment for Murphy in the USA. In a matter of weeks, friends and family donated more than $200,000 Aussie dollars. Again, leaving me speechless. The miracle part of it, was that it was gifted by the generosity of hundreds of people! I’m reminded how in Acts Chapter 4 states that the early church was without need because of people like Barnabas, well we saw the sacrifice of many Barnabas’ last year!

Treatment

DFMO. This is no ‘miracle drug’, but how I’m choosing to see it is that it is a miracle that we have made it this far across the world to access this drug. Only coming out as a phase 2 clinical trial medication, this breakthrough in cancer treatment (DFMO) will help provide more life for Murphy. God did the heavy lifting, and we give Him all the praise, and at the same time we are not sitting on our hands. Like any loving parent, you would go to the ends of the earth for your children, and that’s what we have literally done. Moving to Charlotte, Murphy has been able to access DFMO through a clinical trial (one that has now closed to new patients). Treatment has had its side-effects, but they pale into comparison to what 2023 frontline treatment had for Murphy, and he just handles it like all things he does, with a thumbs up and a smile.

                  For those who don’t know, this medication takes its form in Oral Chemotherapy tablets. Murphy’s on the highest possible dose available worldwide, 12 tablets-a-day, and we crush them and administer through his G-Tube. There are routine checks that Murphy has at Levine Children’s Hospital; blood/lab work, scans, hearing checks, medication monitoring, but ’24 saw Murphy live a pretty ‘normal life’ for a six-year-old!

Adelaide

Our home. More than a birthplace, Adelaide is a comforting place of: love, family, deep relationships and truck loads of memories. It hard to believe as little as 8 weeks were spent in this city in 2024, but a LOT was covered in those few weeks. Our family were sent off at the airport with over 40 family and friends, farewelling with hugs, gifts, letters and tears, we hold Adelaide close to our heart. A week doesn’t go by where our family mention the friendships we have with you back home. Adelaide was where we Murphy was declared in remission, and that was something I’ll be thanking God forever.

Charlotte

Our next miracle city, Charlotte. I’m so thankful for this city: the people, community, church, ballet and medical breakthroughs. It’s safe to say this smaller to mid-sized (3 million people) American city has been a true gift to our family. All our children have felt at home here, with meeting some wonderful people and enjoying all that it has to offer! The schooling around our area is second-to-none, with all children thriving in school, despite it being so different to home(Adelaide) and the schools they loved there, we have been blow away by how each of the children manage to navigate the change and all are so genuinely grateful to be here to be able to get Murphy the help he needs.  

 Not only have we experienced this state, North Carolina, we’ve driven and enjoyed many parts of the south! I should cheekily add, the BBQ is delicious, funnel cakes are heavenly, the Hornets are great to watch but need to start winning, the Panthers need to rebuild and get a new Quarter Back and the Kannapolis Cannonballers are underrated for family fun.

Holidays

I feel selfish even writing this, and the guilt of saying we’ve holidayed, but I’ll be open and honest. Living on the support of our generous community, I wrestle with using the means for niceties. However, it dawned on me the other week, as I reflected on everything and thinking of how our children are going, they are doing exceptionally well. Calista, Hugo, Teddy AND Murphy, look back over the towns we’ve lived in during treatment: Gympie, Brisbane, Adelaide and now Charlotte, all with fond memories. A miracle. And part of what has made that be, is that we have been gifted some amazing experiences throughout! Outings, playdates, sports games, vacations, road-trips and more. Recently my brother pointed out to me that we have shielded our kids from looking back on the worst of treatment because their memories go to all the HIGHLIGHTS first, and their memory stays there long enough they forget the lowlights. Amen to that, and so thankful.

Next week, Make-A-Wish

It is my hope next week I’ll write a separate post for this incredible experience that our family was gifted! Stay tuned.

Family visits

To end 2024, our home was filled with the joy and fun of having family visit from Australia. In November my parents came, and we drank coffees, drove to Kentucky to see the Ark, experienced Charlotte’s offerings and went to an NFL game and loved it even though the Panthers lost! Then after their departure, my brother and sister-in-law came and spent a week with us. The kids were all on winter break, which afforded us time to hang out and play a lot of games. We managed to also squeeze a trip to the mountains, an NBA game (Hornets lost), many fun trips to the American shops, Waffle House, lights at the speedway and much more.

2024, you were good to our family.

2025 I look to with great expectation.

Daniel

Airport Hugs

Seasons are changing.

Shorts to pants, tees to jumpers, hats to beanies and flip flops to shoes.

The hiatus from updating the blog means one thing, no news is good news. With seasons changing, sports swapping and families visiting, we’ve had our hands busy and our hearts full.

·      Teddy has finished  a season of Baseball.

·      Hugo’s finished his first season of  American football.

·      Calista’s training even harder, on the eve of a month full of performing. 22 shows in total, packed in 3 weeks of performances for the Charlotte Ballet’s “Nutcracker”.

·      Murphy’s joined a recreational league for basketball and will begin in a few weeks, therefore he’s been practicing his dribbling and passing skills with his brothers!

Outside of sports, all of the children have adjusted so incredibly well to their schooling here in the US, and making a multitude of new friends. Nat and I have had the privilege of visiting Murphy and Teddy for their lunchtime breaks at school, (where parents can join them in the cafeteria with some fast food) and it’s a joy to see all of their friends smile and wave from the other side of the cafeteria! Friends have been easy to make for all of our kids, which warms our parent hearts to no end and a blessing that we are thankful for! The teachers have been beyond amazing, loving our children as their own. I don’t know how we got so lucky, being blessed by such great neighbors, teachers, school friends and community for our family. All praise and thanks to God for all of His blessings.

Murphy showed his nanna around Bass Pro!

Over the past two months, as the seasons have changed and weather getting cooler, our family has been so fortunate to have two groups of visitors from Adelaide. Calista’s school friend from Adelaide added Charlotte as a destination to their USA  family holiday and spent a weekend with us. It was a delight showing them around this beautiful city, as well as spending many meals with them all around the table. The mum (mom) made a comment which stuck with me as they were about to leave, “if we only went to the touristy parts of the USA on our holiday, we would have missed what it’s like to actually live and do life in the suburbs of America.” New York and LA are busy places, lots to see and lots of people, but here in the homely ‘South’ the pace is a little slower and people are a little warmer.

Four Aussie kids dressing up for the fun neighbourhood halloween festivities! Murphy picked all the costumes for the family!

Bugs and Daffy from Space Jam!

After a long 30-hour trip, my parents are here! They have come and spend a month with us, and it has been a true blessing sharing life with them. For those who have ever lived away from family, the hugs at the airport mean everything and are moments you treasure forever. My mum and dad have missed their Grandkids so much and have loved just being part of everyday life here, see how life looks, and spend precious time together. We’ve managed to pack a lot into a short amount of time. We have packed many adventures into their last two weeks with Nanna and Poppa here including a Washington DC trip, school visits, movie theatres, sight-seeing, café crawls, front-yard plays, house jobs and most importantly chick-fil-a feeds! We also intend to see ‘The Ark’ in Kentucky and catch an NFL game.

 As a family we are really looking forward to this Thursday, celebrating Thanksgiving. How wonderful and thankful we are to have family here from Australia on this special holiday. Coming into this Thanksgiving week, we have so much to be thankful for. What are you thanking God for this week?

 As always, it’s important to update you with how Murphy is doing, because you have so faithfully prayed for and supported our boy. We’ve walked this miracle together, and I never want to miss an opportunity to highlight the miracle that has and is taking place. The stark reality is that for many (dare I say most) of the children with Murphy’s diagnosis, they wouldn’t have made it this far. Murphy is a walking, living and full of life testimony of God’s goodness. My parents can attest to how well is, even in the past 9 months since they saw him last in Adelaide, to now. God has been so kind to us, therefore all I can do is thank God for every single day. God is good and He does Miracles.  I hope Murphy’s smiles in these photos be the miracle you need to see today!

Our delightful neighbor took these at Davidson College, and we are oh so thankful for such talented neighbours!

Two loving brothers

After a movie at the Gem Theatre for a Church event we enjoyed walking around Kannapolis with Nanna and Poppa.

I will NEVER get tired of looking at his smile!

Clear PET

It’s time to celebrate, just a short update of God’s goodness!

PET is clear (again), praise God!

Two weeks ago we received the news that Murphy’s PET scan is clear of any cancer. We were so thrilled and excited to receive this news! These PET scans are a usual matter of protocol for the clinical trial and a cancer patient in remission, but they still come with an unusual amount of concern for Nat and I, because we know the stark reality is that these scans are the only means to know what exactly is happening inside Murphy’s body and that fear that everything could change in just one day.

The day of Murphy’s PET scan, a couple of weeks ago, Nat woke to some sad news about a friend of Murphy’s. This other young boy, Xavier, who has fought the same cancer as Murphy, has relapsed. Our hearts sank, as we thought about his parents, siblings and close-knit family hearing this news. This is the second relapse for Xavier, and it now means more treatment and longer hospital stints. Please uplift this family in prayer, as you have for Murphy, that Xavier’s next scan can come back clear. It has been this news, on the day of Murphy’s scan, that caused some worry about our boy’s scan. This worry continued through the weekend, because the radiologist didn’t provide a conclusive report until MONDAY MORNING. Talk about three days of worry, doubt and sadness… but then to read the title of the doctor’s email “all clear”, we exhaled with a sound of “thank You Lord!”. 

Thank you for your incredible support and love, this clear can is another huge history making milestone in Murphy’s miracle journey.

Back to school

Summer is ending, school is back in session and a new rhythm of life is about to begin. If you haven’t read our last blog, click HERE, you’ll find a heap of summer highlight pics at the bottom and get to see the many visitors that have been through the Nowak home! There have been so many highlights through summer, and it has been a complete joy watching all our children settle into life here in Charlotte. I thought I would update you on a few things that have happened of late and give updates regarding the progress of Murphy’s treatment.

But first, may I give thanks… Reading Psalm 118 verse 1 last week struck me big time.

‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.’

God is good, all the time, and His love is forever. As Murphy has begun Kindergarten (Reception, for us South Australians) here in North Carolina, I can’t help but give thanks to God! You’ll love these pictures of him at school and the American school buses!! I have been thanking God daily for Murphys amazing progress and start to school, I have been thanking Him for the hundreds of people who have supported our family through this entire journey. With your faithful, prayerful and financial support, our family has been cared for in the most beautiful way. We have afforded the means to get over here, establish a home here, give our children some joy-filled and life-giving experiences this summer, all the while helping ‘pay the bills’ while Nat has not needed to jump into work straight away and therefore, she has been able to organize our family and love our children as best she can. Thank you to every single person who has prayed for and supported our family.

To wrap up the summer break, a wave of sickness went through the family, with coughs, colds, strep, croup and more, it’s safe to say that has all cleared and we started the school year fresh and ready (maybe not 100% ready, but as ready as we’ll ever be)… Murphy was due to start school Thursday 2 weeks ago, but Nat and I were woken up by Ted who ran into our room at 1:30am exclaiming Murphy was coughing. In our dazed ‘you woke me up’ state we stumbled into his room to find Murphy in a genuine panic and struggling to breathe. If you’ve ever had a child with croup, you’ll know the sound of the “bark cough” that Murphy was letting out which accompanied his panic. It didn’t take too long for Nat and I to make the call that he needed to be taken to the hospital. After a 911 call, 3 minutes later the fire engine was on our doorstep and four men way overdressed piled out, one holding a stethoscope. Not knowing this is common practice in the USA, I turned to Nat and gave a puzzled look as I asked, “babe, did you order a fire truck instead of an ambulance?!?!” Little did we know they’re often quicker than ambulances here and are all well-trained medics! Fast forward a little, the Paramedics came and took our boy to the hospital where they gave him some oxygen and steroids and sent him home just after 5am. This led to a tired boy who was in no shape for his first day of school, causing him to begin school Monday last week.

The first full week of school!

Thoughts in my head daily: “Wow! Praise God! I can’t believe it! How is this possible!? What the?! Look at him! He’s so full of energy and life!”

I have been speechless over the past week, because I simply cannot believe how well Murphy has adjusted to school. He has been placed in the most nurturing and caring class, with sensational support staff around him and teachers that just go the extra mile to care for him. His energy levels have been so high, with no aches, pains or complaints! Every day he had gotten off the bus with new stories to share and friends he wants to talk about. Praise God is all I can say! He is a living, walking, and learning miracle school boy!

Murphy is nearing 6 months of treatment here in the USA, and I thought I would share some points with you, for you to see what the clinical trial has involved so far for Murphy and as a little update for those that are new.

• DFMO is a stage 2 trial medication which is designed to combat the relapse rate of high-risk neuroblastoma.

• Children who fight through 18 months of grueling treatment have an 85% of relapse, and a significantly low chance of survival post-relapse.

• It is an oral chemotherapy medication, beginning with the highest dose (16 tablets a day), Murphy’s red cells declined, which pushed the team to dose-adjust and reduce to 12.

• The pills are crushed morning and night, and we administer through his G-Tube.

• 2 Months ago, the team of oncologists suggested Murphy undergo surgery to remove his NG tube and replace it with a G-tube, which has helped him integrate into school, and be more active.

• The main symptoms of the trail drug DFMO have been upset stomach, frequent vomiting, irritable bowel and reduced eating, high sensitivity to smells, loss of eyebrows and lashes, thinning and color change of his hair!  Between months 3-5 these have stabilized, and at present, Murphy has very few symptoms!

• It is a 2-year trial, with a series of PET scans, kidney tests, audiology exams and monthly check-ups.

• His care is based out of Levine Children’s Hospital, and it has been nothing but world-class for our boy!

• The DFMO trial has since closed to new patients, after Murphy had started it, which means even though they have stopped taking new patients, they will see out the treatment of all current patients. Praise God Murphy started when he did, and we get to be a part of the research and body of knowledge regarding high-risk neuroblastoma. It is such a privilege.

• Fun fact - Murphy tried his first Chicken burger a couple months ago (chicken sandwich for the American’s), and he liked it. Now every time he orders at Chick-fil-a he is torn whether to go for the nuggets or burger! Haha! Chick-fil-a remains his favorite treat after a long day at the hospital and has got him through many a blood draw.

Please pray for Murphy’s next PET scan in a couple of weeks, 6th September, that it comes back clear and disease free! These days never get any easier as a parent in the natural sense but thank goodness we believe in a supernatural God.

Much love,

Daniel

G Tube and Summer Fun!

Weather and time zones are discussion points which are arbitrary for most of our lives, yet consume so much conversation. Imagine meeting someone and not mentioning the heat if it’s a 110 degree day (40 degrees celsius), or imagine having a phone call with someone overseas and not mentioning the time difference. Hard to imagine, right? Nat and I have even been enjoying the Fox Weather channel, and some nights we sit on the couch and allow ourselves to be immersed in this TV channel for over an hour! The presenters are a pure joy to watch, as they take the weather so seriously, even though it has been a mild day with no real serious weather to note. I love the way these presenters can make a puddle of water feel like there’s been a highly unusual weather pattern that in a freak act of mother nature precipitation took place without authorities knowing it!... Weather and time. How does it consume us so much?I guess it's a common ground for all of us and something we all experience. Well, what Nat and I have come to realize is that cancer is something now that resonates with nearly everyone, as in most of us at some point in our lives knows someone who has battled cancer. A lot of conversations we are having with people we meet turn from us introducing ourselves and why we’re in Charlotte, to a line such as, “oh, my mother had…” or “I know of someone from work who had…”  So I guess in some ways, cancer is like weather and time, it's something that at a certain point in time has impacted us all. 

Cancer is intrusive, it doesn’t discriminate, it pervades through every class, nation and people group. In its simplest definition, it’s an uncontrolled division of cells, yet our experience for the Nowak family has been that even though it might divide cells within a single body, it unified a family, it pulled in a community of loving and trusted people and it bound together bonds and relationships which will never be separated. 

Genesis 50:20 (AMP) “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day].”

What Satan meant to do to bring harm, God uses for the benefit of His people to show His goodness, His healing power and give us Hope. 

Murphy, and the rest of our family, are doing so well. Summer break is in full flight and we’ve had a mixed bag of experiences. Here are a few:

• Family and friends visit from Australia and Atlanta

• Trip to Washington D.C.

• Summer camps for Calista, Hugo and Teddy

• Family trips to the neighborhood pool

• Birthday parties with neighbours

• Father’s Day celebrations

Medically, Murphy has been responding well to the reduced dosage of DFMO. This seems to be the right level for his body to feel ok, but for full effectiveness of the medication to still take effect. 2 weeks ago Murphy went in for surgery to remove his NG tube and replace it with a G tube. This short procedure has been the biggest gift to our boy. He now can jump in the pool without a 30cm tube dangling from his nose, or go out in public and have kids stare at him with looks of, “what is that weird thing on that boy’s nose”, Murphy has his “whole face back” (his words), and it’s a beautiful sight to see. After nearly 2 years of having a tube, I have found myself stare at him and smile, thinking of how handsome our boy is! Murphy has overcome a lot, and this is yet another little thing of normality back into his life. 

For those who think I’ve made a typo, the G Tube is a smaller tube that allows direct access into Murphy’s stomach, rather than a longer tube that goes from the stomach, up through the nose. The G Tube stays in place with a small balloon that is inflated on the inside of the device which means it won’t fall out. Allowing Murphy to live the fun, active lifestyle he wants to, including joining a Basketball team for the first time, when the season starts in November! The outside of the tube has a button type port which means we can give medication and other things if need be. The only abnormality to this surgery was that the surgeon needed to create a few separate incision sites to help put in the tube, as Murphy had so much scar tissue from his surgery last year that the surgeon needed to make extra incisions to go into his stomach and clear up that scar tissue. What a crazy world of modern medicine we live in! Praise God for giving us humans the brains to develop and deliver these procedures! 

Moving ahead with treatment, Murphy will now have regular check ups and bloods taken, but with all things considered, he will be able to start school at the beginning of the USA school year in August! Praise God! 

Thank you for helping by prayer and provision for our family to be here receiving this treatment and see the many blessings God has for our children. 

Remember this, satan wants to hurt us and divide us (inside and out), but God can do His miraculous work and restore both bodies and people.

Here’s a snapshot of our summer adventures…

PETS...

Hey, thank you for your support and prayers last week for Murphy! It was a busier than normal week with appointments for him, which felt weird being in hospital three times in one week, especially after a relatively ‘hospital free’ 3 months. I am pleased to report Murphy’s PET scan came back clear, which means we continue with the DFMO and remain hope filled that he remains cancer free!

This past week brought a flood of emotions to the forefront of our minds, with the night before Murphy’s scan being a difficult one to navigate. It is not that the scan was problematic or scary, the opposite in fact, but scans in general bring to life what us humans can’t see. It was a scan of Murphy’s body in September 2022 which revealed 1000+ tumors in his then 4yo body, it was that scan which created the roadmap for hundreds of medications to flow through his veins. But… it was also another scan in February 2024 which gave evidence of the miracle working power of our God! The PET scan last week took what was tucked away in the back of our minds straight to the forefront. And like any cancer patient will know, this anxiousness from scanning doesn’t ever fully go away. What I can say is that Nat and I didn’t dwell on the worry, we looked back at the cancer journey and found moments of God victories and healings that were synonymous with heartache from the suffering encountered by Murphy.

With summer heating up here in Charlotte, our family has enjoyed the late afternoon swims, visits from interstate friends and trips to the ice-cream shop and science discovery center. This week Teddy and Hugo are enjoying a basketball camp, Calista has two weeks of full-time ballet training and Murphy is enjoying summer fun at his pre-school. Activities for all! Nat and I might even sneak in a date at some point too…

To wrap up this quick update, I’ll share what God showed me the other day through the scripture Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I have always gravitated to the word surpasses in this passage, and for good reason, it highlights that the things of God surpass the things of this world. God is bigger than our human issues, He is stronger and He is above all. And to have this revelation days before Murphy’s worrisome scan, I had a peace about it that meant I was never troubled to the point of panic! I don’t know where you need that same peace from God, but just know that it is freely available.

Blessings.

Spunk.

Our boy has his spunk back! Murphy has shown off his funny, cute, quirky, and fun attitude over the past week, and it has been a true delight to observe. For me to explain why, I need to go back a couple of weeks. I will share some things that our family has been up to.

Let’s start with a few weeks ago, Calista’s birthday. A joyous time for our family, celebrating Cali’s 13th birthday in true Nowak style, with festivities happening all weekend long! Nat’s mum was in town so the three generations of mighty women, Glenda, Nat, and Calista went to the Charlotte Ballet’s Swan Lake on a Friday evening. This was followed by a big celebration breakfast that Cali’s brothers ‘helped’ with (I must say I did 99% of it)! Dinner was the focus of the day though, where we booked at a family-owned Italian restaurant south of Charlotte. Nat’s parents joined us, so we piled into the car and went southbound. There were no early sittings, so we took a late sitting and were swift in ordering our meals. Smiles were had and stories were being shared of our favorite qualities of Calista around the dinner table (a family birthday tradition). A short while later the appetizers came out, Brussel sprouts, now I know you might not be a fan of these green gems, but Nat and I love these little crispy salty sprouts, The waiter put them on the table, and it wasn’t before long Murphy smelt them and began vomiting. Murphy was in the bathroom and finished up in there before returning to the table. It was only a few minutes later he went again. At this time, we cancelled the sit-down meal and asked for the food to be packed up to take-away. A quiet 30-minute ride home for the whole family, as we were all a little sad for calista’s birthday meal, and Murphy’s sickness.  What I am so proud of with my family is that we all bound together and turned it around. Murphy went straight to bed as he was exhausted by this point and overcome with embarrassment and deep sadness for ‘ruining his sister’s birthday’ (his words). Calista walked up to Murphy’s bedroom and tucked him in, and as I lingered in the hallway, I could hear her comfort her brother with some sweet words, “it’s ok Murphy, you didn’t ruin my birthday dinner at all. Have a good sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.” Calista then joined us at the dinner table, where Nat got out the candles and made the ‘to-go’ food look that little bit fancy. All-in-all, a beautiful birthday meal ending.

It's these moments, a quick dinner pivot, where cancer still kicks you in the gut. But it’s these moments where our family shines bright and creates memorable experiences out of unfortunate situations. Hugo, Teddy and Calista have pivoted so well with the many moments like this one over the past 2 years, it brings Nat and I to tears sometimes thinking how incredibly all four kids have the most thankful hearts and have just learned to make lemonade out of lemons sometimes.

A week later, Nat’s parents left to go back to Australia and Nat and I found ourself out for dinner with another couple from church. We were driving home and FIVE MINUTES before we get home, a text comes through from the babysitter. “Murphy’s vomiting.” We call back instantly but no answer, so we drive a little faster (don’t tell anyone) to see to what extent he’s sick. As we pull into the driveway all the lights are on and all the kids are awake which is not a good sign. We walk into the room to find Murphy’s been sick all over the bed, and his NG tube came out. After giving the babysitter, a ‘vomit tip’ for her services, Nat and clean everything up and create calm back in the home. The following day we head into the hospital to get his NG replaced. It was at this appointment though where Nat felt to ask for some bloods being done, as Murphy’s color was a little off. The results came back quickly and confirmed Murphy’s red cell count had dropped dramatically in the last week even though it had been on a steady decline since we started DFMO in Feb. The medical team booked in for a blood transfusion on Thursday. After what was an upsetting night for Murphy in bed, turned out to be a catalyst for Nat asking for some bloods. And that Thursday bag of blood gave him back a lot of energy and some warm pink color in his skin!

I know I’ve shared two sad(ish) vomit stories, sorry if you don’t like vomit, but still Murphy has overall been well. Honestly, he has been full of that opening word, SPUNK. He laughs, runs, giggles, and plays pranks all day long! This week Murphy went in for a check-up a week after those bloods, and he is doing great! All numbers are up, and his red cell count is healthy. The implication though of that blood transfusion is that protocol stipulates that Murphy must dose reduce his level of DFMO medication to 12 tablets a day instead of 16 and he has also had to have a 10-day break from the Clinical Trial to recover from the transfusion. Can you please pray with us that this reduced dose will help his red cell count to hold now and that he won’t need more transfusions. One of our faithful friends, said this was not a setback for Murphy, just a way that God has customized the perfect DFMO dose for him.

Some other fun moments in the past few weeks have been:

-              End of school for Teddy, Hugo and Calista, now 12 weeks off!

-              Visitors up from Atlanta, so that Hugo could go to a concert with his friend Josiah!

-              Library visits.

-              Birthday parties.

-              Dinners with neighbors.

-              Pool, pool, pool in the neighborhood.

-              A weekend at the beach.

Coming into this week, we would love you to partner with us in praying for a couple of things. Firstly, the medical team has proposed a G tube, instead of an NG tube for Murphy. The advantage of this will be that tablet access be straight into his stomach, for medications, rather than through the nose meaning he will have a free smiling face for the first time in nearly two years. This conversation started a few weeks ago when we noticed Murphy’s skin to break down because of having NG tape on it for months on end. We meet the surgical team this week to discuss this option and book in for the procedure. Secondly, and more importantly, Murphy has his first check-up scan since remission. This PET scan is a little frightening for Nat and I, to be honest, but I am reminded that our faith says not to fear! Pray for a clear result! The PET scan is Wednesday June 5th. We can’t wait to share that murphy will still be cancer free after this scan.

Thank you for your wonderful support!

Daniel