Let’s give life to Logan

This is Logan, born in Perth, WA, on February 25th, 2019, 6 weeks early. He weighed in at just 1400 grams, and although tiny seemed to be doing well.

However, by day 7, his health started to decline. The doctors were baffled as to why his blood clotted so quickly, he couldn't keep down even 1 ml of Mum's milk fed through a tube, and why his tummy had started to swell. The staff at Fiona Stanley Neonatal unit decided Logan needed extra special care, so they transferred him to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the new Perth Children's Hospital.
He was diagnosed with Neonatal Haemochromatosis or also known as GALD. Damage to the liver occurs during pregnancy, ultimately leading to the abnormal accumulation of iron within tissue. GALD is an extremely rare, often fatal condition. One study  found that of 157 live-born infants with liver failure, outcomes were poor: 18% survived, 82% died. 


My name is Fran Kearns, I’m passionate about helping people get their lives back, spending the last 13 years in the post-surgery recovery industry. This time, the one I need to help is much closer to home.
Me and my team, from left to right, Georgia, Fran , Gianna

There is hope for Logan

7 days after his birth, Logan started to decline. He was transferred to the intensive care unit and received blood transfusions, intravenous immunoglobulin and FFP (fresh frozen plasma). Sadly, this hasn't worked for Logan. Now, the only option is a liver transplant. Ideally, babies should be at the very least 4kg before a transplant is even considered. Logan currently weighs about 2kg.

Logan means so much to us

Parent’s who have children with GALD have a 75% chance of their next child having GALD. The heartache Logan’s parents Daniel and Melissa have gone through is too much to handle again. Logan is their last chance at a second child, as their son. I cannot explain their joy when they found out Melissa was pregnant, and how excited their daughter Emily was to finally meet and cuddle Logan for the first time when he was three weeks old.

Now, time is running out.


This is the final chance to save Logan. Your support will help Logan and his family though this crucial stage of his life.

Thankfully in Australia, the medical costs for Logan are covered, however Daniel and Melissa have been spending all their time with Logan over the past 5 weeks of his life and have been unable to work. They are now heading to Sydney for an unknown period of time to be with Logan as he is assessed for, and hopefully receives, his liver transplant.


You can help Logan’s family with transport to and from the hospital to visit Logan, accommodation for an unknown period of time and meals.

$200 buys a day of transport, meals and accommodation in Sydney

$700 buys return airfares from Perth to Sydney

$1400 buys a week for transport, meals and accommodation in Sydney

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.


Update 1: 30 March 2019, 11:50am AWST



Logan arrived at Westmead children's hospital at 2pm yesterday via medivac with a team of doctors and nurses. He has been placed on dialysis and his treatment has become more intensive. Doctors have advised it is possible for Logan to receive a liver transplant, he may become the smallest/youngest baby to receive a liver transplant in Australia. Logan's dad Daniel is being tested for possible part liver donation, a family members donation is preferred. Thanks so much for all your support. Melissa, Daniel, Emily & Logan will appreciate it greatly, right now their focus remains on Logan's health.

Update 2: 30 March 2019, 3:40pm AWST



A number of tests have been run to confirm Logan is able to receive a liver transplant, he has no kidney, heart or brain damage, but he has a slightly enlarged pancreas which is to be expected. We are so grateful that Logan has been placed at the top of the list for a pediatric liver transplant countrywide. It looks like it may be 48-72 hours before it's too late. If no candidate's liver is found, doctors will revisit Daniel providing a portion of his liver, however, signs are that even a small portion may be too large for Logan's body. It's so sad to think that another family will lose their child to give life to Logan. We are blessed to be in the hands of the capable staff at Westmead Children's Hospital, we are hopeful that Logans transplant goes ahead and know he will be in the safe and capable hands of Dr Thomas Gordon and Dr Jonty Karpelowsky, who successfully performed liver surgery on Finlay https://www.facebook.com/westmeadkids/photos/a.398945612607/10154321401937608/?type=1&theater


Update 3: 31 March 2019, 1:30pm AWST

Logan is still hanging in there, waiting at the top of the pediatric liver transplant list. Dialysis has been running nonstop and he has worn out the dialysis machine, doctors are working to get him back onto dialysis. Nurses have advised that due to his size it may take a while to find a suitable liver for him. Thanks to everyone for their amazing support, your contributions and thoughts will help Daniel and Melissa more than you could ever know. We will keep you all updated as we learn more.


Update 4: 05 April 2019, 10.15am AWST



Thank you so much for your support, we are blown away by all of your love and caring messages. Logan is hanging in and is stable at the moment. We would also like to take this opportunity to share how your donations will make a difference to Logan, his parents Daniel and Melissa and his sister Emily.
For those that may not already know, I am Fran - Daniel’s Mum, Melissa’s Mother in Law and Emily and Logan’s Nanny Fran. All funds so generously donated will go to Daniel and Mel each week to help them through this tough time in their lives. As Logan’s journey to health continues, we hope your donations will help alleviate the financial burden that comes with unexpected hospitalisation interstate and the associated costs.
Daniel and Melissa have not been able to work for several weeks now, so donations will help cover everyday living expenses such as food, transport, everyday bills that never go away and of course any costs that arise to ensure their son has everything he needs.
Daniel and Mel have been staying at the hospital and are expected to stay close to Logan for several weeks. Since they have no support network in Sydney, the isolation makes the situation even harder, being so far away from home and away from their daughter, Emily. Daniel and Mel are eternally grateful.
Melissa recently shared a post with her family and friends:
"Thank you to everyone for all your support. I know I have been distant, I'm just trying to hold it together and stay strong. I want to see this little face again. I want to cuddle and kiss him with nothing attached. Keeping fighting my precious boy."
Please keep sharing !! and thank you all.

Update 5: 12 April 2019, 11.00am AWST


Thanks again to all our donors for their generous support. There have been countless other supporters throughout Logan's battle, including doctors, nurses and the selflessness of unnamed blood donors. We are so grateful. I would like to take this opportunity by sharing this short message about organ, tissue & blood donation. It takes just one person to save and improve the quality of life of so many others. Anyone can donate organs and tissue – there is no age limit on the donation of some organs and tissue. As a relatively young person, organ and tissue donation is not something I really think and talk about, Logan's diagnosis made me think, am I doing everything I can to help those in need or organ and tissue donation? This can be a tough subject for many people to talk, or even think about, but you can help save or significantly improve the quality the life of so many people.
It only takes 60 seconds with your Medicare number. If you had previously expressed interest through your Driver's Licence renewal, you will still need to register on the Australian Organ Donor Register here https://donatelife.gov.au If you do register, please remember to let your loved ones know you have given consent. For those of you who feel you need to do something just as meaningful, the easiest thing to do is donate whole blood, plasma or platelets. The entire process takes an hour of your time. A single blood donation can help save 3 people. To check eligibility and learn more you can visit, https://www.donateblood.com.au/


Update 6: 28 April 2019, 7.30pm AWST

Sometimes, saying “Thank You” is just not enough! Daniel and Mel are incredibly humbled by the love and generosity given by so many of you and the amazing Medical staff at three major hospitals. But today, they especially want to express their gratitude to a very special organization. When Logan was Medevacked to Sydney, the Westmead Children’s Hospital kindly provided them with a small room within the property so they could be close to Logan. But when it became clear that Logan would be staying in hospital for several more weeks, along came Ronald McDonald House Charities®. https://www.rmhc.org.au/ Daniel and Mel moved into their two bedroom self contained apartment at Ronald McDonald Westmead. Just 300 metres from their beautiful little man Logan, the apartment is completely free of charge and will be available to them for as long as is necessary. The apartment which is almost brand new, has all the necessities including laundry, TV and WIFI. Housekeeping is included as are 3 cooked dinners per week kindly prepared by volunteers.
Emily has been staying with her Nanny in Mandurah, but soon hopefully, she will join her Mum and Dad in their apartment. Thanks to your donations, some of these funds will be used for airfares for Emily and Mel’s Mum and return fares for the whole family to come home at last. She will be able to continue her education in Sydney as school teachers are provided at the Westmead House.
Being welcomed into the amazing community at Ronald McDonald House Westmead has meant the world to Daniel and Mel. After spending the day with Surgeons, Doctors and Nurses, trying to learn the medical terminology to comprehend their child’s treatment, they feel so grateful to have a place they can call their own to try and de-stress a little, relax and get some much needed sleep. It has been an incredibly hard 6 weeks, but thanks to your generosity and the wonderful Ronald McDonald House Daniel and Mel are coping and looking forward to having their baby in their arms and their daughter by their side.

But, there’s more to be thankful for…… When Logan is well, he will be required to spend two weeks with his family living at Ronald McDonald House before coming home to WA. At a recent meeting with staff at the House, Mel asked if there would be a pram they could borrow during this time. They were told they do have prams available, but Logan would need his own to prevent the risk of infection. After returning to their apartment planning to buy a cheap pram and leave it at the house for others when they come home, Daniel and Mel were called back to the office and given a brand New Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus Pram to keep for Logan and bring home with him!
Thanks so much to Bugaboo and of course Ronald McDonald House!

Update 7: 18th May 2019, 10.40 am AWST

Being the parent of a critically ill child must surely be one of life's greatest challenges. Enormous amounts of love, hope, courage and resilience are required.
Logan is nearly 3 months old. Since his birth, he has:
* Never experienced being fed by his mother
* Never had a bath
* Never slept in his own lovingly decorated bedroom
* Never worn any of his newly bought outfits
* Never been held by his Grandparents
* Never been proudly shown off to close friends and family
It is now over 8 weeks since Mel or Daniel have held Logan in their arms.
Sometimes, life is just not fair. This past week Daniel has had a virus and chest infection. He was quickly put into quarantine to avoid passing it on to Logan.
Long hours feeling unwell and not being by Mel's side in the PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) proved to be an extra drag on his state of mind.
"I don't think we'll be home by my birthday (August 5th) Mum. It's really doing my head in as were just stuck between a rock and a hard place."
Logan's recovery is taking much longer than anyone expected. Because of his tiny size, the strong medications are constantly impacting his other organs which sets his progress back.
He can sometimes tolerate small amounts of donor breast milk fed via a nasal gastric tube and TPN (artificial nutrients) are provided intravenously, but his kidneys in particular are struggling. So it looks like being at least another three months in Westmead Children's Hospital.
Fortunately, there have been some lovely events thanks to your kind donations.
Big sister Emily and Mel's Mum Vicki arrived in Sydney last week. Their arrival was emotional as expected. Their first stop was to visit with Logan of course, before settling into Ronald McDonald House. Also, Emily and Mel were given hair makeovers by the wonderful volunteers that so generously donate their services to this wonderful charity.

Daniel and Mel are constantly humbled by the amazing kindnesses shown them by you and so many other incredible people. We ask for your continued support and prayers as there is still a very long way to go before we can welcome our beautiful Logan home to WA.

Update 8: 7th August 2019, 3pm AWST

Hi everyone. Sorry for the delay between updates, I understand many of you are anxious to know how Logan is faring, however due to privacy laws, we haven't been able to share some key news. This update covers the successes and challenges Logan has been through over the past few months.

On April 1, 2019, Logan was given a chance for life thanks to an incredible family donating a healthy liver. As one of the smallest and youngest transplant recipients in Australia, it was a great challenge for the Liver Team and surgeons at Westmead Children’s Hospital. We are pleased to share that Logan made it through the surgery but has faced enormous and complex challenges ever since. Due to his tiny size, the liver Logan received was too big for his body, so the blood vessels are not able to connect to his new liver properly. As a transplant recipient, Logan is on immunosuppressant drugs that essentially wipe out his immune system. As a result, he has contracted and fought multiple infections including Sepsis and Pneumonia.

In addition to this, following the transplant, his tummy has had to remain open for the last three and a half months as surgeons were unable to close it successfully. The Plastic Surgery team at Westmead managed to grow Logan’s own skin cells from a small piece of skin taken from his head. They sprayed the cells onto his tummy two weeks ago. Amazingly, this seems to be working and possibly in about 5 weeks his tummy will finally be closed. Logan has been supported with many litres of donated breast milk as he is unable to feed on formula. Several attempts to transition him to formula have so far failed, although he has been able to increase his milk intake. Due to earlier complications causing kidney damage, Logan is constantly on dialysis and has struggled to gain weight. Though his liver seems to be working, it has been a constant roller coaster ride for him and his family. Daniel, Mel and Emily have been by his side constantly and continue to fight for him every day. Daniel and Mel's life revolves around Logan, spending more than 12 hours a day by his side. The day includes listening in to updates as doctors do their rounds and helping nurses understand Logan's needs as they do their change overs and watch over Logan. Logan remains in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Westmead Children's hospital. Connected to multiple machines, Daniel and Mel constantly monitor Logan and all the machines, which can be extremely stressful at times.

Every 36 hours, depending on Logan’s condition, there is a rare opportunity to hold him as he is taken off dialysis while components of the machine are removed and replaced with new ones. As much as Daniel and Mel look forward to this opportunity, it's tough for all involved as he remains hooked up to multiple machines and sensors throughout.


Having left their home, jobs, school, family and friends in Mandurah to fight for Logan, it has been an enormously stressful five months. There have been so many exceptional acts of kindness along the way. Your generous donations and Ronald McDonald Charities have allowed Daniel and Mel to support Logan in his fight for life. Your thoughtful donations have been used to fly Mel’s Mum and Emily over to Sydney, buy daily supplies for the family and to pay for those household bills at home that just never go away.

Daniel: “Words cannot express Mel’s and my thanks to the wonderful family that allowed Logan a chance to live. Without the donated Liver, it is unlikely that our boy would still be with us today. We will be forever grateful to them for giving the gift of life at a time that was so incredibly sad for them. We are also humbled by the kindness and generosity of our family, friends and total strangers who have, by their donations, allowed us to advocate for Logan and be by his side. Thank you!  from the bottom of our hearts. To the Surgeons, PICU Doctors, Liver Team, Nurses and all the staff at Westmead Children’s Hospital, we will be eternally grateful.  Thanks also to Ronald McDonald Charities that provided us with an apartment, 3 meals each week and so much more. We simply could not have been here with Logan without this amazing charity. Emily has been schooled at the hospital school and just loves the Starlight Foundation. She is a great big sister to Logan who lights up whenever she comes into his room in PICU. It is a very nervous, stressful and frustrating position we're in. But I have full confidence in my little man as he is inspiringly tough and doesn't give up.”

It will be several more months all being well, before Logan will be able to go home to Mandurah. In order to continue fighting for Logan - any support you can provide will be greatly appreciated by Daniel, Mel & Emily. Any funds received will be used to support their time in Sydney and keep the home fires burning for that day when they can finally bring their family home.

Update 9: 1st September, 2019, 5.30pm AWST

Logan’s journey was featured this week in The Sunday Times and The Mandurah Mail. Our thanks go to Regina Titelius and Gareth McKnight for sharing Daniel and Mel’s story and of course little Logan’s battle for life.

But most of all, a great big THANK YOU to YOU, the amazing, generous, caring people who have provided much needed support, both financial and emotional. There have been in this past week, so many kind words of encouragement that have given Daniel and Mel a much-needed boost to continue to advocate for Logan. There have also been those that have shared their own personal stories of heartache, and we thank you for your strength. But we must ask you to help again, by sharing with your friends and family, workmates and even total strangers Logan’s story. Every few dollars raised means Daniel and Emily can stay one more day to be with Mel at Logan’s side.

Logan had quite a good week, back on a few mils of formula and he even managed a few smiles. However, this morning Daniel and Mel were given the bad news by the Plastics Team at Westmead, that the skin cells applied to Logan’s open tummy, seem to have failed to grow as well as was hoped. This will mean that down the track, when his condition has improved, some skin will need to be shaved from his head and stretched so a graft can be done to close his abdomen.

Also, an infection has grown again so our little man is back on antibiotics and working hard to overcome it. Not the Father’s Day morning Daniel was hoping for sadly. Let’s hope this is just another dip in this seemingly never-ending roller coaster journey.

Update 10: 2nd November, 2019, 4.30pm AWST

It is with immense sadness that we announce the loss of our beautiful little angel, Logan
on Friday 13th of September, 2019. He was surrounded with love from his mum, dad and big sister, Emily in his last moments. 
A week prior, at their weekly meeting with Logan’s medical team, Daniel and Mel were
given the heart-breaking news that there was nothing more the Doctors could do for
their little man and it was time to say goodbye.
During this time, family members who were able, flew over to Sydney to say their
goodbyes. For many, it was their first-time meeting Logan. In these few days, Logan and
his family were able to create and record a lifetime of beautiful memories thanks to the
enormous kindness and respect by all the staff in PICU at Westmead Children’s Hospital.
Logan was allowed to be taken outside for the first time, finally being able to see the
bright blue sky and feel the fresh breeze on his precious little face, while being snuggled
in the warm loving arms of his family. 

Logan may have been in this world for a very short time, but he left a lasting legacy
inspiring so many to do kind and   generous things for others.
Words cannot express how grateful Daniel, Melissa and Emily are for all the support shown through this difficult time. Really, thank you.