Philip Holland Financial Independence financialindependence

I am extremely privileged to meet some very inspiring people – Molly, a six-year-old girl certainly fits into this category.

I meet Molly at an industry conference in Australia. Not only did she stand up in front of 200 people, but she also told us her story about her battle with Leukemia. A very brave girl indeed!

Molly and her lovely family were truly an inspiration to everyone. They told us of the day when Molly was diagnosed and the emotions that rippled through the family. They then lead us on the journey they went through during the next nine months of therapy.

Their story was an eye opener for many attendees and one which highlighted the impact an ill child can have on a family, both financially and emotionally.

Molly's story started with her diagnosis and then the long drive to the treatment center, where with the help of the Ronald McDonald House she lived with her mother for nine months. Like many families, Molly's parents both worked. He mother had to take unpaid leave from her job and thus almost halving the family income. Molly's father had just started a new job and after exhausting all his holidays and sick leave he had to return home to work.

Luckily for Molly, her family had a great support network; her grandparents were able to help look after her brother and sister and the small community they lived in fundraised with a ball and raffles to provide the family with some extra funds. Even with all this support, Molly's family came very close to having to sell the family home.

Molly was also very lucky her parents had a very strong relationship. Although not a published statistic, it was revealed many relationships break down during such times of stress.

Imagine for a second what would happen to you if one of your children became ill? Could you survive on one income? Would you want to take time off work to help them recover? Did you know you can insure your children for major illnesses? It does not cost much and in some cases it is free, but it could make a huge difference to their recovery.

Visit www.ronaldmcdonaldhouse.co.nz and www.leukaemia.org.nz

Philip Holland is the general manager for Financial Independence (Tga) Ltd which is one of Tauranga's largest financial services companies. A Disclosure Statement is available free of charge on request.