Little Tylan's cancer battle brings wave of Wagga community support

The pair were flown straight to Randwick Children's Hospital in Sydney less than 24 hours after Tylan's diagnosis of juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia on December 12, 2023.

With no time to prepare, the single mother was forced to leave her second son, five-year-old Kye-Ray, while she spent Christmas, Tylan's second birthday and the months following in Sydney by Tylan's side.

Following the news, friends and loved ones have thrown their weight behind the Wagga family.

A GoFundMe Page has been set up by Janaya Malcolm to accumulate donations, while a group of Kylie's friends have distributed donation tins across the city.

Sally Taber, Rachelle Williams-Pitts, Emma Smith, Zara Besly and Billie Charles have created a Facebook page where they will post upcoming fundraisers.

Ms Taber had been with Kylie and Tylan on the day of the diagnosis and saw just how quickly the pair were uprooted from their day-to-day life.

"I was with Kylie on the day she found out. We had taken Tylan to get his immunisation needles," she said.

"Kylie had postponed them for a month as advised by the doctor because Tylan had been sick.

"He had the tiniest red rash on his arms and face that had come up the day before - there were no other symptoms.

"That was at 11am and by 5.30pm we found out it was blood cancer.

"Kylie had less than 24 hours before she was flown to Sydney - she had to leave Kye-Ray in Wagga, she wasn't able to spend Christmas with him and yesterday was Tylan's birthday and Kye-Ray couldn't be there with them."

Kylie has spent the last three months in Sydney and has no idea when she and Tylan will be able to return home.

"We don't know how long she will be there for," Ms Taber said.

Tyran will receive a bone marrow transplant on Thursday if all goes well from brother Kye-Ray, and there is no telling how long it will take for his body to adapt to the transplant.

Throughout April, the women will complete a lap of Lake Albert every day with an ultimate goal of walking 165 kilometres.

Ms Taber said it is her hope that the more money they raise for Kylie, the easier they can make her time in Sydney.

"I just feel for her," she said.

"She's doing it really hard."

Donation tins have been put out at businesses including all newsagencies owned by Turvey Tops, the Blamey Hotel, New Oceanic Takeaway, Kooringal Hotel and Original Flame Grilled Chicken.

The group is working on getting more tins made to distributed across more businesses.

Donations can be made online at gofund.me/b82d7b40.

For information on how you can support the Walk for Tylan you can follow the Tylans Journey Facebook page.