A Christmas Wish like no other
The impact of major surgery on a newborn baby's skull is hard enough without
the extra pressure of financial hardship.
Will you give a gift before 31 December to provide much-needed support to
people like Michelle and her son Nash?
At this special time of year, we thank you for your ongoing generosity. One of the things we do at Craniofacial Australia is work with families whose newborn baby is facing a craniofacial diagnosis. Christmas can be unbearably hard for these families. The pressure is profound.
- They are facing the unknown
- They feel scared and alone
- They are exhausted from the whirlwind of back-to-back appointments
- They are feeling the financial strain
- They don’t know where to turn, who to talk to
- They’re unsure what the future holds, even after treatment
It’s fair to say that their Christmas Wish looks different to most. You have the power to tick hope and care off someone's Wish List. Something so simple, but with the power to change everything. This year, will you stand with us by donating to our Christmas Wish Appeal?
The “newborn phase” should be a time filled with happiness and joy for parents. A craniofacial diagnosis is often unexpected and changes life in an instant. Suddenly, the days and nights are overshadowed with fear, anxiety and grief.
This is Mum Michelle’s experience and it isn’t unlike so many other stories we hear every day at Craniofacial Australia. Months after her first-born Nash’s birth, months after instinctively knowing the shape of his head wasn’t quite right, Nash was diagnosed with Metopic Craniosynostosis. Not knowing where to turn, Michelle reached out to Craniofacial Australia for support and assistance.
“The team were so helpful and immediately sent us a Care Pack to help with our hospital stay.
I was also given information for financial assistance.” Michelle Nash
For many people like Michelle, craniofacial treatment can come with a number of unexpected costs - such as scans, specialist appointments and traveling to cities for treatment. Many of these things are not covered by either Medicare or private health insurance. Living in a rural area, Michelle had no choice but to take time off work which, as a sole financial provider, posed an extra burden.
“I completed the financial assistance paperwork and was incredibly relieved when my application was approved. The financials were no longer going to be a big stretch.”
Nash was in theatre for 7 long hours, then ICU for 24 ours. The swelling was confronting, but he recovered well.
Bit by bit, despair transformed to hope.
“The surgery was life-changing. His development improved immediately after surgery, and after being advised his speech may be delayed, my little chatterbox is showing me that anything is possible with the right people in your corner. The ongoing emotional support and the financial assistance that Craniofacial Australia gave us will never be forgotten.”
It’s no coincidence that we fund 3 programs – Patient Support, Research, and Education. They are life-changing, ensuring that the burden on this and future generations is reduced. The Craniofacial Australia Christmas Wish Appeal helps us meet demand for our services. We want you to know that the impact is not just financial assistance, care packs and other practical necessities. It’s about creating a community where people don’t have to face their hardships alone.
With a generous donation of $40 or more today, you’ll make sure that other families just like Michelle’s have access to help at their time of need, sparing them from facing the turmoil alone.
Christmas Wish Appeal
$40
covers packaging and postage costs for Care Packs across metropolitan and rural Australia
$400
contributes to financial assistance packages for rural families to access treatment and accommodation
$1,000+
funds flights, accommodation and meal costs for patients from developing countries to receive treatment in Australia
For any gift you can give, we thank you.
We wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season filled with love, laughter, grace, and above all, hope.
