Appeal for Ava

Ava is a ten month old baby girl with complex needs. Her parents, Ruth and Robert, learned during pregnancy that Ava had an anomaly in her heart and kidneys and were hopeful once she was born these would be amenable to treatment. Unfortunately, after birth her parents learned that she has multiple other problems affecting nearly every organ system in her body.

As yet, Ava does not have a diagnosis so it is difficult to know exactly what the future will be like for her. Currently she needs help with breathing and has continuous nasal oxygen and uses a bipap machine at night. Ava has stopped breathing on a few occasions and required resuscitation. She is fed into a part of her small bowel through a nasojejunal tube as she has severe reflux. Ava also has very low tone which means at 10 months she still cannot support her own head. She wears a special helmet to take the pressure off the back of her head as she spends most of the time on her back. As she grows bigger she will need a special pram and car seat to support her. Ava is currently awaiting a date for surgery to repair a diaphragmatic hernia (where the contents of her abdomen are pressing on her lungs).

As family and friends of Ruth and Robert, we want to do everything we can to support Ava and her parents with the many challenges that they face each day. All funds kindly raised or donated will be used to cater for Ava's multiple needs. Ruth and Robert will need to move from the flat where they are currently living as navigating the stairs with Ava, her oxygen tank, her suction machine and her feeding pump has become more challenging as she grows. As Ruth nears the end of her maternity leave, both her and Robert are planning to work alternative days so they can continue to care for Ava.

Every single donation will be gratefully received and will help Ruth, Robert and Ava with the uncertain future ahead.