Josiah’s story
December 8, 2023
When you hear Josiah’s cheerful giggle, you can’t help but smile. He is one of the most joyful little boys you could ever meet.
But Josiah entered the world fighting for his life. Josiah was born with a hole in his heart and a life-limiting condition.
For his mum Ruth and his dad Travis, every single day has come with desperate hope for their son’s survival.
Now four years old, Josiah’s neurometabolic condition affects him every day and night. He has difficulty breathing and is susceptible to respiratory illnesses with multiple cases of serious pneumonia. His vision is significantly impaired, and he has low muscle tone that can make it impossible to do simple things like sit on his own.
To this day, there is no treatment for Josiah’s condition. Not even a reference point.
But things became a little easier from the moment him and his family connected with Very Special Kids.
At 13 months old, Josiah came for his first overnight stay in Very Special Kids children’s hospice. It was the first time Ruth and Travis felt they could leave him somewhere — with the peace of mind that he was well cared for.
Nobody truly gets the mental load and the stress that comes with having to make the right decisions for a child like Josiah.
To have Josiah monitored by people who can dedicate the time and who care enough to do it too, that is everything to me. I trust Very Special Kids more than anyone with him.
If you can give a gift this Christmas, it will help to support families like Josiah’s with everything from hospice respite care to counselling.
“For us, Christmas is about hope. It’s a time of gratitude. Josiah is a gift. He may have a lot of complexities but, looking back to when he was born, it’s a miracle to see him get to where he’s at now.”
Please send your kind Christmas gift as soon as you can to help fund vital respite through our children’s hospice over the Christmas period.