Six-year-old Roxy Wright-Austin helped the Sharks finalise their game day preparations before the game against the Knights when she joined them for a morning walk in Newcastle on Sunday.
As is tradition, the Sharks stretch the legs and escape the confines of their hotel with a pre-game team get together, and on this occasion, Roxy, who continues to fight a brave battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, took the opportunity to join them.
A resilient, funny and brave girl, Roxy played beach cricket and threw the ball around with the Sharks players, including Toby Rudolf, who provided inspiration through his fundraising efforts earlier this year in support of the Leukaemia Foundation.
Roxy’s interaction with the playing group was another Sharks Have Heart arranged ‘Heartfelt Moment’, with these types of actions an attempt to lift the spirits of members, fans and those within the community who are facing adversity, including those in hospitals and aged care.
In detailing Roxy’s journey to date, after visiting a dentist on the morning of August 19, 2021, an unusual bruise inside her gum resulted in an immediate trip from the dental surgery to the ER at the local John Hunter Hospital.
Following a blood test later that afternoon, her mum Rebecca was informed by the consulting Doctor that Roxy, then only four-years-old, had blood cancer. Within hours of being admitted, she was having platelets and red blood cells infusion.
“It’s been two years and Roxy is still on daily chemotherapy, in the maintenance chemotherapy phase. Couple more months to go then hopefully she will go into remission,” Rebecca explained.
Now looking forward to getting through the final period of her treatment, the Sharks were only too happy to offer Roxy the chance to hang out with the team on the eve of the big game, before the family attended the match later in the day at the McDonald Jones Stadium.
“Our family being biggest Shark fans forever, appreciate this,” Rebecca said of the opportunity to meet and interact with the Sharks. “Roxy has a few favourite players, (Andrew) Fifita was one of them. She was so proud of Toby when he shaved his hair for World Greatest Shave.”
