Eva, where do I start for you sweet girl?... well it starts with your mama and ends with you both needing us all to help you stay together during this really tough and scary time.
check out Bridget Evas mums instagram page for more information and updates on Eva Our Warrior
Update:
As requested by GoFundMe - I have added in the answers to these questions to make sure we meet all the criteria so Eva can recieve the funds we raise as soon as possible
1. Who you are and where you’re from - My name is Simone Collins, I started this page for Eva Jones and her family. I am from Auckland NZ and have been best friends with Bridget, Evas mum since I was 13. Bridget is a Kiwi but has lived in Australia for the last 14+ years and all 3 of her children have been born in raised in Queensland, in the last 18 months the Jones Family moved to Safety Beach NSW for Scott, their Dad/Bridgets Husband to be closer to work and they would be all together through the week as previously Scott would be away weeks at a time. Scott was born in Australia but unfortunately because Bridget is NZ born, she doesnt qualify to receive the Carers payment to be able to stay home and care for Eva . So here we are trying to raise some funds to help with the mounting Medical costs for Evas daily care plan, the travel costs involved with getting to Westmead Hospital in Sydney etc
2. Your relationship or contact to the parties you're raising funds for - as per above I am best friends with Bridget and think of her family as my own. Her eldest child Lachlan is my god child. Bridget has always been there for me in tough times and is an honorary Aunty to my own children.
3. How the funds will be spent (be specific as possible) - whatever we raise will go straight towards Evas care. Bridget, Evas mother is set up as the sole beneficiary. She will be able to withdrawal the funds as required. The funds raised will be used to pay for the daily care plan for Eva, which includes medications that are not subsidized, purchase of a Nebulizer for use at home, travel costs for the many doctors visits both locally and in Sydney 7.5 hours from their home, alternative natural treatments for Eva and whatever other expenses come up as they manage Evas care which is so far changing all the time at present as they figure out what is working best for wee Eva
4. Your withdrawal plan to get the funds from the campaign to the ultimate beneficiary/ies - as per above this is solely Bridget Jones, Evas mum and she can withdrawl the funds as required.
STORY
The past 6 months have been extremely tough for Eva Jones and her family. After lots of tests, scares and other life stresses going on Little Eva has been diagnosed with chronic inflammation in her lung and airway, a form of Lung disease - which doctors think was started by a benign lump and foreign body they removed in December at Westmead children’s. Evas parents Bridget and Scott has since learnt if this had not been found and removed they could of lost their baby girl before Christmas. Her vulnerable condition is Not helped by the bush fire smoke they had to live in for weeks when the area they live in near Coffs Harbour sufferered badly just before her first operation . She’s so far had 2 surgeries to flush and try to remove/minimalise the inflammation in her lungs and try to break down the cells that are trapping the mucous in her lung which makes it hard for her to breathe. She’s using all the energy she has to keep going, but is unable to fight the infections caused by the mucous/inflammation and now she isn’t responding to her oral medication she’s come home on, so now wee Eva will most likely have to go back in coming weeks to Westmead Children’s Hospital which is 7.5 hours from home in Sydney. Eva is the youngest of 3 , their past extended time spent in Sydney has meant her brother Locky and sister Millie have been without their little sister and mum for weeks at a time while their dad Scott has to stay back at home and works long hours and cares for Millie and Locky with the help of family, friends and neighbors to assist with childcare, school runs etc. Their local hospital isn’t equipped for specialised care Eva needs. She needs regular occupational and physical therapy most days, and and medication in a nebulizer twice a day to help clear her airway. The Jones family are likely going to have to move away from the life the have created and love in Safety Beach to be closer to Westmead and to both afford Evas medical needs and be a much needed family unit during this hard time.
Eva and her parents have been told she will have this condition for life, so its not a question of how can we fix it but how they can now make her more comfortable, happier and able to live as normal a life as a 2 year old can. It’s now about trying to find a sweet spot in medication amounts and types her body will respond to and then pain relief to manage it and keeping her strong whilst doing so. This juggle is her parents new daily life hey are adjusting too and learning all very quickly , at the same time the admin as a family of 5 and also Scott continuing to work harder and harder with the mounting medical costs as not all of her medicines are funded or subsidised. If this cant be done and her condition worsens Eva and her mama we will be living in Ronald McDonald house long term , which they have already done so twice since December.
I am Bridgets friend from Intermediate and have been best friends since we were 13. Born in NZ , Bridget moved to Australia 14 years ago and has lived and worked in Australia for this entire time. All 3 of their children are Australian born and her husband Scott is Australian born ,inspite of this Bridfe has been refused the Government carer payment. This puts them in financial hardship and having to make a lot of difficult decisions regarding their life and Evas care, As a mother myself I want to help my friends be there for their baby any way they can and also their other babies too. Helping fundraise for Evas medical and their living costs means they can stay together as a family and can keep Bridget at home with her baby longer.
Eva was meant to start preschool soon but since her diagnosis she simply cannot be in such an environment now. Bridget tells me she is only doing 5 hours max a week at a school if she is well enough and for the sole purpose of her language development. Eva's speech and language is requiring extra assistance due to her condition, the mucous makes her hard of hearing and in turn she has struggled with her speech development. She has a low immune system and needs to be home with her mum as much as possible and unfortunately she misses out right now on something this wee girl was so excited for. Eva has impressed her doctors so far as she is in-spite of her chronic condition she continues to fight back , and show us all what a warrior sheis.
we love you Eva Jones! Let’s do this for Eva and help her family stay together xxx