Callum's 'the happiest bloke on earth'

In the end it wasn’t quite the moon that Callum wished for. But he did travel 16,000 km for his wish.

Callum, his younger sister and their parents went from Wagga Wagga in NSW to Rome in Italy to see his hero, motorbike daredevil Robbie Maddison perform.

Despite all his medication, Callum tried to have a normal childhood and threw himself into sport.

“You don’t want other kids knowing you’ve got to have needles and tablets so I couldn’t really stay at mates’ places,” Callum said.

“I didn’t let anyone see that side of me. You always just let them see the football player or the motocross rider.”

“And she doesn’t like blood tests but she had to have them. She was strong though and did it quite easily.”

On the day of the transplant Callum woke at 7am after a sleepless night thinking about his mum.

Sharon got through the procedure ok but Callum stayed in hospital for a month, with his body rejecting the transplant.

“I had four rejections in the first year so it was a very stressful time,” Callum said.

“I’d never been overseas before so it was the perfect place to choose.

“It was like every bad thing that was happening in hospital stopped and I could finally focus on something positive.”

The week before Callum and his family were due to leave for Italy, he had to return to hospital, putting the trip in doubt.

“I had another rejection and the doctors said if things didn’t calm down I wouldn’t be going to Rome,” Callum said.

“I remember saying to mum and dad and the doctors ‘I’ll be going on my wish no matter what’.

“I was so determined to make it that I got through that week and came out with better results than ever because I was just so determined to get to Rome.

“And that’s how it has played out through my life since I had the wish. I set a goal and that’s what I go for. Make-A-Wish has changed my life so much.”

“He understood what it was like to put your family through hard times and how your family is always there for you.

“When we were chatting, his people were telling him he had to warm up but he would say ‘yeah I’ll get to that’. He definitely cared about me being there.

“I’d give up a million dollars to experience that week again.”

Callum said to see his parents and little sister Tarnii happy on the trip also meant the world to him.

“We weren’t going to hear from any doctors over there so all we had to think about was what we were doing that day,” he said.

“Everyone had a smile on their face, it was an escape.”

“He never lets on that there’s something wrong with him. He will never make out that he’s got bigger problems than anyone else.”

Callum's positivity was challenged in 2020 when he had to go back to hospital to have a cancerous tumour removed from his kidney.

But now he’s back to doing the things he loves: riding motorbikes, spending time with family and spreading the word about Make-A-Wish.

He’s a Wish Ambassador, taking with both hands any opportunities to speak in public about Make-A-Wish.

“If I can do a speech and tell my story I will do it every time because I want people to know that Make-A-Wish is a great organisation,” Callum said.

“What I tell people is Make-A-Wish gives kids an escape from the harsh reality that is their medical journey.”

Callum said his medical journey had taught him to value every day.

“People generally say ‘how can you go through so much and still be the happiest bloke on earth?’ but when you get through the tough times you appreciate what you’ve got,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve been blessed to have the people around me for the highs and lows. The support from family, friends and Make-A-Wish.

“Every day I just try to think how I can do more to help people with chronic illnesses.”