Sisters share a bond like no other

By ALANAH MAY ERIKSEN
Kelsey and Melissa Patterson share a bond only sisters can identify with.
The pair are the faces of Operation Bald On The Beat, a charity undertaking at which 60 Rotorua police staff are to shave their heads to raise funds for CanTeen and the Child Cancer Foundation.
After suffering a bad chest infection, flu and high temperatures about a year ago, Kelsey, 14, was diagnosed and treated for a mycoplasma infection, a potentially fatal respiratory illness.
Three weeks later her younger sister Melissa, 12, began to show similar symptoms and was diagnosed with the same condition.
Their mother Lee-Anne Patterson said it was rare that two sisters managed to attract the same infection as it wasn't hereditary.
"Imagine someone with a really bad flu - it's worse than that. It's certainly a life-changing event."
Shortly after her first illness Kelsey was diagnosed with Guillain-Barr syndrome, a neurological disorder, and confined to a wheelchair for several weeks.
However, while Kelsey recovered within a couple of months, Melissa's condition deteriorated and doctors realised something more serious was involved.
It took four operations, various x-rays and a test being sent to the US for analysis for Melissa to be diagnosed with angiomatoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma, a form of cancer.
Hers is the only known case in New Zealand.
But that was in May and Melissa is now on the mend.
She has gone from two-weekly paediatric appointments to one every six weeks.
She went back to Mokoia Intermediate last week for the first time in 12 months.
It's only half days at the moment but that's enough for Melissa who still tires easily.
But she is already dreaming about getting back into motocross which she had to give up when she got sick.
Kelsey's days are filled with rowing, running, drama and socialising. She started fulltime in Year 9 at Rotorua Lakes' High School at the beginning of the year, after being away from school for about five months.
She occasionally suffers from headaches but they are nothing a couple of Panadol can't fix.
The girls believe their illnesses have only made their bond stronger.
"We were always pretty close," Kelsey said. "But something like this makes you closer and you grow up a lot faster."
Operation Bald On The Beat begins on November 3 with a ceremonial head-shaving gala at the Rotorua Convention Centre.
Kelsey, who represents CanTeen and Melissa the Child Cancer Foundation, will talk about their experience with cancer in front of about 1000 people.
The sisters jumped at the chance to be a part of the project because CanTeen and the Child Cancer Foundation have helped them both financially and emotionally.
They have taken part in activities and been on trips, including a visit to Rainbow's End.

The family have tried to give back to the organisations by selling bandannas in the City Focus but Mrs Patterson says she will never be able to repay all that has been done for her daughters.
"They become normal children in a way with these groups," Mrs Patterson said.
"They [members of the groups] are all going through the same thing, they don't have to talk about it if they don't want to.
"If they get tired the other kids understand why they're tired."
Both girls are also organising gold coin donation mufti days at their schools.