A brave eight-year-old battling cancer and her Wheatbelt family have shared their gratitude for their community after the local pub announced it would host a fundraising auction for her cancer treatment.
Tackling her second bout of leukaemia, Maia Reichelt is currently preparing to receive a bone marrow transplant from her older sister Makenzie at Perth Children’s Hospital after she was diagnosed again with leukaemia on February 9 this year.
The transplant is Maia’s final treatment option and last chance of recovery.
After hearing the news of her relapse, the Darkan Hotel decided to hold a fundraising auction on March 28 to raise money for Maia and her family.
Maia was first diagnosed with leukaemia on March 29, 2023, four days after her sixth birthday, and was immediately thrown into 2½ years of gruelling chemotherapy treatment.
Her mother Ellalee Travis said the doctors informed them Maia would have been dead within two days if they had not discovered her cancer because she was at such high risk of a brain bleed.
Ms Travis said Maia had to stay in Perth — three hours away from her home and five siblings — for 18 months before being allowed to finish her treatment at their Duranillin farmhouse.
On June 13, 2025, Maia rang the bell declaring she was cancer-free.
Her dad, Tim Reichelt, said family, friends and the hospital staff celebrated Maia beating cancer, wearing Team Maia shirts to mark the momentous occasion.
Just seven months later, Maia must face the fight again.
Ms Travis said it was “absolutely gut-wrenching” to discover Maia had relapsed, and the family were “shattered”.
“When I took her out of the hospital in June, we knew at any moment her leukaemia could come back, and they told me that you just hope it doesn’t,” she said.
“But now they reckon Maia is actually a bit chemo-resistant.
“This will be her last chance.
“We can try and do another bone marrow transplant after this, but this is her last and only chance of beating it.”
Ms Travis, a Maori woman, said Maia’s name means courage, warrior, and brave in the Maori language, which she did not know until recently.
“To me that’s really special,” she said.
“She has really been dealing with all this with the most strength and even compassion for others.
“She said to me, in her own words, ‘it’s OK mama, I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again’.”
After Maia’s relapse, the Darkan community and surrounds have banded together to fundraise for Maia and her family.
The Darkan Hotel auction on March 28 starts at 6pm, with items including a Perth Wildcats basketball jersey, a signed Perth Scorchers women’s jersey, hampers, a $600 Crown voucher, artwork, wood, sheepmeat, a term of classes at Narrogin Dance Centre and Remedy Health Collective physio sessions.
Chippendale Kelpies and Contracting have also donated a working kelpie and others have put forward large cash donations for the family.
Darkan Hotel manager and auction organiser Kirsty Putland said growing up in the town, the community had always rallied around anyone who needs help.
She said the auction night will also have a raffle and games and the Darkan Hotel is still accepting “anything and everything” to auction off.
“We’re also on the lookout for donations of goods, services, or vouchers to auction off on the night,” Ms Putland said.
“Big or small, every contribution makes a difference and shows Maia’s family just how much love surrounds them.
“Let’s pack the place out and show what our community spirit is all about.”
Ms Travis said she cannot express how thankful she was regarding the auction.
“Kirsty has done amazing, she’s gone above and beyond and I’m just speechless,” she said.
“I’m absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude — the whole town has donated or provided services, goods.
“Maia is the soldier in the battle and everyone in town, myself, Tim, and the kids, we’re her army, and God we have a good one.
“We have a huge beautiful army behind us and without it we wouldn’t be able to fight this battle.”
If you’d like to donate or get involved, please email: enquiries@darkanhotel.com.au or putlandkirsten@gmail.com.
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