Harper Button

Everyone knows Harper Button. He’s that kid who has forever left a mark on your heart and enriched your life with the joy and happiness he brings into the world by simply being present. And we bet you have a Harper Button story to tell – we all do.

But that kid we all love for bringing such delight and enjoyment to our lives is doing it pretty tough right now.

On Saturday 6 July, after struggling with the flu, Harper woke up early for a shower and then jumped into bed with his mum for a cuddle. An hour later, Harper was unconscious and unresponsive.

First responders from Ambulance Victoria and the CFA arrived on the scene, and for two hours, due to their brilliant work and support, Harper was in a stable enough to be moved from his home into an ambulance, sirens blasting and lights flashing, hurtling towards the Royal Children’s Hospital. Had this been a normal day, Harper would have been enthralled with excitement getting to ride in a noisy ambulance. Sadly, for Harper, the experience was lost on him.

To this day, Harper is still at the Royal Children’s Hospital, sedated since he arrived, and his condition has been on a roller-coaster ever since. From unconsciousness to induced coma, we have been worried constantly if Harper was going to ever be the same again. More worrying, whether Harper would ever come home.

All being well, Harper’s spirit and strength has powered him to turn the corner. His breathing tube has been removed and he has started to improve in the last week. We are hopeful that Harper is on the mend.

But it is going to be a long way back. Harper is facing secondary challenges such as infections from extreme bed sores, and delirium from medication and isolation. Harper’s wonderful parents, Sarah and Trent, who have not left Harper’s side since he arrived at RCH on 6 July, have given up their employment and responsibilities to make sure their boy is supported in returning to being the boy we all know, love and cherish.

The support from the Bacchus Marsh community has been wonderful and is a true testament to what makes our community special. We know people want to help, but don’t know how in such circumstances. Despite Sarah and Trent’s reluctance to allow us to organise additional help and support, we are setting up a GoFundMe page for the Button family in support of their boy.

If you have the means, all donations great and small will go a long way to making a difference to the Button family, and most importantly, the boy with the biggest smile, matched by the biggest heart, in the world.

We thank you all for your donations for our dear Harper.