Niamh's story
Cancer survivor, former wish child, and now Wish Ambassador!
Meet Niamh
In late 2008, 11-year-old Niamh was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, throwing her world into disarray. Niamh says she found herself ‘staring down a barrel that brought nothing but darkness and the unknown’. That was until Make-A-Wish granted her 'the greatest wish ever'.
Today Niamh is a vivacious and solar-powered 26-year-old who shares the magic of Make-A-Wish ‘with everyone and anyone!’.
Niamh's Diagnosis
My cancer journey began on the last day of primary school when a tumour was found on my lungs. They had to bring in international doctors, after chest x-rays found a tumour the size of a grapefruit on my thymus.
I was experiencing shortness of breath and I kept passing out because it was crushing my windpipes. After this, I went into a coma for 10 days and woke up on Christmas Day to my family, but I didn’t really know what was happening at the time.
It was a slow process from them and it was very isolating, I even missed starting high school with my friends.
While my treatment is now behind me, I still experience ongoing health issues as a result of what I've been through, including short-term memory loss, concentration issues, thyroid issues, and endometriosis.
Niamh's Wish
Make-A-Wish reached out to me when I was really struggling in my battle with cancer. The team of volunteers helped me find the golden lining of my situation, and my wish gave me something to look forward to.
I wished to go on a family trip to Disneyland, and my wish came true when I was 14. While that was a huge experience for me, it wasn’t just the moment when my wish was granted - every step of the Wish Journey gave me something to look forward to.
Since my diagnosis, it was the first time I could remember that my cancer wasn’t the focal talking point, and I felt like a normal kid again.
^Please note, Make-A-Wish Australia stopped granting overseas travel wishes in 2015.
To this day, my wish remains my most memorable experience ever.
My diagnosis didn’t just irrevocably shift the path of my life... it tainted the lives of everybody around me. My parents and sister needed something to look forward to just as much as I did.
The trip wasn’t just an opportunity to escape – it was the glue my family needed to reconnect with each other, and put ourselves back together.
I’ll never ever be able to show how grateful I am to those incredible volunteers who brought my wish to life.
I had my wish when I was 14... To this day, it remains my most memorable experience ever.
Niamh
Life After the Wish
I’m the Founder of INFIX – a storytelling studio that transforms visions, dreams, and legacies into captivating experiences. My mission is to help our clients uncover and share their narrative through strategy, branding, content, and communication.
When I’m not working with my team on projects from around the world, I travel across Australia and internationally as a keynote speaker and event host. In between all of that, you’ll find me surfing, running, or exploring in my Gold Coast backyard.
I believe every person and every place has a story worthy of being heard - and as a creative storyteller, I aspire to authentically spread these narratives across a global community.
Niamh has since been announced as a Semi-Finalist for Forbes 30 Under 30, performed a TEDx, and named a Finalist for BNA Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Image Left: Niamh and her team at INFIX
A Message to the Wish Force
To those who help or volunteer for Make-A-Wish, thank you. I’ll never ever be able to show how grateful I am.
And if you’re thinking of supporting Make-A-Wish, give it a go. Even a small contribution will go a long way to making a life-long impact on a wish child and their family.
