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Cassandra – a superhero fighter

Jhosa and Aaron are strong believers that spending time at the hospice at Very Special Kids House is prolonging the life of their three-year-old daughter Cassandra.

At just two months of age, Cassandra was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy and her parents were told she would not last the year.

Jhosa explains: “Cassandra’s daily life is extremely challenging since she can’t move on her own. She can’t crawl, walk or sit or control her head movement. Additionally, due to muscle atrophy, she’s having difficulty breathing as well as eating since her ability to swallow food is affected by SMA. It really breaks my heart seeing her struggling.

“For Cassandra’s second birthday we decided to have a superheroes party because to us she is indeed a superhero that is conquering her difficulties. She keeps fighting for her life,” says Jhosa.

I think moving into the Very Special Kids hospice is one of the best decisions we have ever made for Cassandra. It prolonged her life.

“I can say it is a miracle. She’s getting stronger and stronger every day. That’s a milestone that we did not expect. It is also because of the help of the team that supports her – the nurses, physiotherapists and the OTs.”

Jhosa had not heard of Very Special Kids until a visit to The Royal Children’s Hospital. “We were really surprised that there’s a charity like Very Special Kids. It’s like our second home. We are very grateful to Very Special Kids, and I can say that they really helped us a lot in coping with our situation with Cassandra.

“Everything that we need in taking care of Cassandra was available in Very Special Kids. Our worries are lessened, and we feel secure.”