Six weeks after her third daughter was born, Anita Roberts was diagnosed with a rare type of leukaemia.
That was six months ago, and most of that time has been spent in Westmead and Nepean hospitals. She's had two weeks at home in Blackheath, mostly two-day visits, in that entire time.
Husband Chandra Bhat has given up his job as a customs border patrol officer to look after her and five-year-old twins Violet and Poppy and their six-month-old daughter Nikiya Rose.
The community has rallied around the family, for which Ms Roberts, 40, is extremely grateful.
People have given her toys for the girls, and St Aidan's Anglican Church at Blackheath gave the girls clothes and toys at Christmas, which was very welcome with little money left for Christmas presents.
Members of the church have prayed for her and provided the family with a weekly meal, and the P and C committee from Mt Victoria Public School, which the twins attend, raised money for the family and would send soup home every week.
Then there's a friend who has two very sick family members and four kids under the age of six, but still made time to take the twins to school every morning.
"To see such acts of kindness ... me not being there for the children, that's big. People have stepped up and stepped in," Ms Roberts said.
"I am humbled by the acts of kindness of people, indeed of strangers."
And while she's in hospital there are women who pop in to visit with their crochet and embroidery, giving the patients some light relief.
At Christmas Ms Roberts was briefly allowed out from hospital and her husband organised an overnight visit to Jenolan Caves, much to the delight of the entire family.
At the end of this month Ms Roberts will be having a bone marrow transplant, thanks to a generous donation from her brother Gary, but will be isolated in hospital for up to five months unable to see her family due to a weakened immune system.
But she's not giving up hope.
"I have to think of it as short-term pain for long-term gain," Ms Roberts said.
"I just want to be there for these girls. Children need their parents and I need them," Ms Roberts said.
