Another day, another obstacle…but Eilish keeps moving forward

Have you ever said to yourself, "I can't do it, it's too hard and not worth the effort?"

Next time, picture an 8-year-old girl on your shoulder saying, "Move it!"

The indomitable spirit of Eilish Wilkes is what gives her parents and loved ones such joy.

Diagnosed with a brain tumour at nearly three years of age, the last five years have been about hard work and making the effort. Kathie and Pat Wilkes describe their girl as articulate and determined, naturally bright and wise beyond her years.

The process of trying to beat this disease has taken a huge toll on the family's energies and resources, but it is all worth it for the little girl whose talents extend to writing songs and singing.

Despite undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to reduce her tumour, Eilish's eyesight has been severely affected. However she strives to live her life as normally as possible.

Eilish's determination to get on with her life and "make the best of it" is an attitude she takes with her to school at St John's in Mairangi Bay. There she has a fulltime teacher aide to assist with her class life but has been finding it increasingly difficult to keep up, and her teachers were also finding it hard, as their resources did not stretch to being able to support her with her visual difficulties in the classroom.

Kathie and Pat applied to the Child Cancer Foundation, who in turn awarded Eilish with a scholarship to provide her with a special laptop computer and printer for home and school. Eilish's laptop contains a unique keyboard with enlarged letters. It is networked with the school's computers so she can use it in any class at any time, simply by plugging it in.

Kathie says the laptop has made a huge difference to Eilish's life; giving her the tools she needs to keep up, and with such a clever young mind (Eilish has a memory that borders on photographic) the results have been wonderful.