The second was a feature on young Kaylee and her family. The seven-year-old was born with congenital heart disease and a rare genetic disorder. Improvements in surgical outcomes mean more children born with CHD are surviving into adulthood. But issues relating to mental health and access to care - for both the patient and families - is only just being understood.

Our third story was a chat with another mother who is currently watching her 15-year-old daughter battle stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The mother happens to be a Bass Labor MHA. Jennifer Houston reluctantly told her story because of her absence from parliament, but more importantly, the message she delivers about health.

The stories are told for a few reasons. Sometimes it's a health warning - particularly stories of cancer or whooping cough. These stories can be a trigger for people to get along to the GP to discuss symptoms that may have been ignored or simply just head along for a check-up. 

Other stories are for fundraising and awareness. Often a face of the cause is needed to engage with an audience. It's about human connection and empathy.

Some stories are told as the families are seeking acceptance and support. One family once shared their story because of the nasty comments made towards them about their child using an iPad while in town. What people didn't realise was this the only form of communication the child was capable of completing. The feature gave people an insight, changed perception and made the family feel more accepted generally in the community.

Ideally, we will never publish another story relating to a sick child. Until that time comes, we will humbly share these stories in an effort to support the family, raise awareness or fundraise for a cure.