Hi, I’m Matt Isla & Ozzys Dad.

I was in two minds whether or not to create this, but we’ve had so many people tell us they want to help and have wanted to buy things for Ozzy & Isla, but if this year has taught us anything, it’s that experiences and making memories is so important because tomorrow’s never promised! We’re hoping that one day in the not too distant future once Isla’s recovered, we can do what we’ve always talked about and take the kids to Disney to make some memories as a four.

In May this year Isla was diagnosed with Very Severe Aplastic Anaemia a very rare bone marrow and blood disease and we had no idea how our lives would change with her getting a critical illness.

Isla has currently had over 50+ transfusions either blood or platelet products throughout this whole process, she’s had general anaesthetic 6 times for various things such as her central line being put in, taken out and back in again, bone marrow aspirations and a BAL (lung wash). She’s had a full round of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. Throughout this process she’s still managed to keep smiling. We did 44days on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at RMCH and the transplant has gone well, we got sent home and managed 8days at home before we got readmitted and we are still here. Isla was on oxygen for 10days as she had fluid overload from having leaky veins and blood vessels, she then had to have the BAL, she’s been having her bloods checked every day also. But results have come back negative with no active infections. With this being a positive the consultants still weren’t happy as they needed to find the cause for her being on oxygen for so long. After some more tests it’s now her kidneys that are struggling with levels much higher than they want them to be. She’s been on steroids and medication which has been changed to try and help reduce these levels but they still haven’t come down. We are still waiting on what the next steps are from here but once we know I will update..

This whole process has also been so tough for Ozzy, he’s gone from seeing his little sister everyday to now not being able to see her or cuddle her. We’ve had a very small amount of opportunities where they have been allowed to see each other and they have loved every second of being together again. He doesn’t understand why is she still poorly and he tells us how much he misses her all the time and it breaks your heart that they can’t be together to enjoy these precious moments together. All of this has been so hard for him to understand but he’s been so strong and loving.

All I want to do is give them the best possible time we can at Disney Paris (when we are allowed to travel that is) and to also spend some quality time as a four.

When Isla was diagnosed we had x2 days a week in clinic for blood / platelet transfusions & Isla was no longer allowed to be at nursery. She had literally done 3days and we had to take her out. Throughout June/July Isla kept picking up infections and we were doing more time in hospital than at home so we do 2nights in and swap and that has continued. It has worked really well, we both get time with Ozzy and it’s also really hard doing long days and nights in the hospital, especially with machines and monitors beeping.

If anyone reading this would like to help by donating blood please do sign up it’s so simple to do - just Google search blood donor and click on the NHS link to sign up.

And if you want to be a stem cell donor as well please do. Search Antony Nolan or follow the NHS website, without these donors we can’t help save lives.

Thank You ❤️