Wil’s story

May 11, 2021

“Very Special Kids makes a massive difference for us because they don’t just help the child, they help everyone in our entire family,” said Mel, Wil’s mum.

 At a routine pregnancy scan at 31 weeks, Mel was told her precious baby was going into heart failure and needed to be delivered immediately. From that moment on, Mel has lived with the fear, stress and anxiety that comes with a child’s life-limiting illness.

Her son Wil, now nine years old, has been diagnosed with multiple serious conditions throughout his short life. To name just a few, the long list includes heart issues, lung problems, leukaemia, epilepsy, and developmental delays. Every one of these requires complex medical care and limits what the family can do.

As Wil will tell you himself, he absolutely loves coming to our hospice to play fun games with our energetic team. Wil gets to enjoy just being a kid in the safety of our expert care, while his mum and his siblings can do the things that aren’t possible with Wil’s complex needs, like a spontaneous outing to the movies. It’s a much-needed break for the whole family.

Wil will turn 10 in just a few weeks’ time, a milestone experts were never sure he would reach. Each day brings new challenges and the whole family lives with ongoing uncertainties.

To leave a special birthday message and help support families like Wil’s, please make a tax-deductible donation before Wednesday 30 June here.