'A God-send': Port Campbell family call Ronald McDonald house home for six months

Prior to Easter this year, Hugo Riedl had been unwell.

His mother Pene Riedl thought the three-year-old may have had a virus.

"He was a bit flat and run down," Mrs Riedl said.

She took Hugo to see a doctor in Timboon and was sent to South West Healthcare's Warrnambool Base Hospital for tests.

That night, she was given a shock diagnosis.

Hugo had leukaemia.

The next day Mrs Riedl and her son travelled to the Royal Children's Hospital in a road ambulance.

Hugo was admitted and stayed at the Royal Children's Hospital for more than 70 days.

Doctors diagnosed him with T-Cell leukaemia.

Hugo's father Kristian also travelled to Melbourne and the couple stayed at the Ronald McDonald House.

Mrs Riedl said her son had undergone chemotherapy treatment at the hospital and at one point became so ill he spent a week in the intensive care unit.

The couple's older children Lucille, 8, and Felix, 6, stayed with their grandparents in Peterborough while the couple were in Melbourne.

After two-and-a-half months in hospital, Hugo was allowed to leave but the couple still had to stay close by.

Mrs Riedl said being able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House had been a God-send.

Melbourne has been their home for 20 weeks and paying for accommodation would have been an added stress to the couple.

"We are so grateful we are able to stay at Ronnie Mac House," Mrs Riedl said.

"It's such a great environment and there are other parents there with critically ill children. They become your support system."

Mrs Riedl said Hugo would undergo chemotherapy for three years.

He is in hospital three days a week at the moment.

This treatment pattern will continue for 30 weeks and after that he will have chemotherapy once a fortnight.

Mrs Riedl said it had been a very difficult time.

However, the news they received in July made it all worth it.

"The chemo is doing its job," Mrs Riedl said.

"His cancer rate is zero but we just have to keep going."

Mrs Riedl encouraged people to support the Ronald McDonald House on McHappy Day, which will be held on Saturday, November 18.

She also thanked family and friends, who had supported the family over the past six months.

"We're very thankful to the local community - they have really rallied behind us," Mrs Riedl said.