The joy of a newborn baby remains one of life’s great moments – but imagine the devastation caused when that child is born with a life-threatening illness.
That was the case in August 2024 for Fraser Coast parents Blair and Shaun when their son was diagnosed with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) at 20 weeks’ gestation.
CDH is a complex condition where the diaphragm doesn’t fully close, and the intestines, stomach and liver can all move up into the chest cavity, restricting the growth and development of the baby’s lungs. It has a 40 per cent mortality rate.
“Our lives were turned upside down”, Shaun said.
“Instead of the excitement of growing our family, we faced months of uncertainty and not knowing whether our little boy would survive in the hours, days and weeks after birth.
“Due to the high-risk nature of the pregnancy, we had to stay within minutes of the Mater Mothers Hospital in Brisbane for the last three months of the pregnancy, and Josh spent a month in the Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU) after birth. This placed immense pressure on us as a family, as we were unable to work but bills still needed to be paid.”
The family was nominated for support to Rally for a Cause who stepped in and helped ease the financial burdens on the family so they could concentrate on their medical battles.
“Rally for a Cause is an amazing community organisation that will always be close to our hearts. You never imagine that your family will need the assistance of strangers – but Rally for a Cause proved that it is the heartbeat of our community by stepping up when we needed them most.”
Now, almost two years later, Josh is a happy little boy who loves his big brother, Luke, and his best friend Morris the Labrador. His life-saving surgery at two days old was a success, and he’s growing bigger and stronger every day.
“We owe so much to Rally for a Cause for stepping up and letting us focus on the things that really mattered, our family.”
Rally for A Cause has now assisted almost 500 families. For more information or to donate to Rally for a Cause, please visit www.rallyforacause.org.au.
