Luna is described as a sweet little girl and considering she has spent half her life in and out of hospital, she continues to fight and bring so much joy to her family’s life.
During her pregnancy, La Toya was told she was having a perfectly healthy baby, but once Luna was born she was floppy and needed immediate life support. After 48 hours they were transferred from their hometown in Maryborough to Brisbane, where they stayed for 4.5 months. In that time, Luna spent 89 days in ICU, underwent open heart surgery, had a collapsed lung and almost didn’t make it. Further testing revealed a diagnosis of Kleefstra Syndrome – a rare genetic disorder affecting only 600-1000 people in the world; 30 of those live in Australia.
“I honestly have no idea what we would have done without RMHC SEQ. They gave us a home-away-from-home, treated us like family and made our terrifying journey that little bit less scary. We got to meet so many beautiful families who were all going through their own journey. Hearing their stories made us feel less alone and I am left with some life-long friends”
At the time, La Toya and Cameron had been staying at a hotel and went home to spend Christmas with the rest of the family. When they returned on Christmas day, the hotel was closed and they were left stranded on the street. Within an hour, they were granted with the best Christmas present they could ask for – a roof over their heads at Ronald McDonald House South Brisbane.
They spent 101 consecutive days at Ronald McDonald South Brisbane whilst Luna fought for her life in the hospital. Throughout their stay, the family were provided with accommodation and support from the friendly staff and volunteers, as well as the opportunity to have the whole family stay to be by Luna’s side.
“Our world is still up and down and there are so many uncertainties with Luna’s condition. We still visit the House regularly for specialist appointments but most importantly, she is still here and thriving in her own way. That will be something we will be forever grateful for. Thank you RMHC SEQ for opening your doors and hearts to us.”
