On July 24th, 2024, my brother Regan and sister-in-law Zoe welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Rylee, into the world. Born prematurely at just 33 weeks, Rylee weighed a tiny 1,421 grams but showed remarkable strength early on. Within a week, she was breathing on her own and transferred to the special care nursery.

Unfortunately, things took an unexpected turn after Rylee was moved to Caboolture Hospital.

Rylee’s little body began struggling to regulate her blood sugar levels, and she was diagnosed with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Following advice from the endocrinology team at Queensland Children’s Hospital, the plan was to start her on medication. However, this medication can cause fluid buildup, especially around the heart, so doctors performed an echocardiogram as a precaution.

To everyone’s shock, the scan revealed that the small hole in Rylee’s heart (VSD) had doubled in size, along with other cardiac complications that will require open-heart surgery. She is now under the care of the cardiac team at QCH, while decisions are being made about her open heart surgery.

As a heart mum myself, I understand firsthand the emotional and financial burdens that come with prolonged hospital stays. Zoe had to leave work earlier than planned due to pregnancy complications, and with months of medical care ahead, the costs for parking, fuel, tolls, and food are quickly adding up.

Our family is typically private, but given the rising cost of living and my personal experience, I don’t want Regan and Zoe to struggle financially during this critical time. Their focus should be on Rylee’s recovery—and we hope to help them afford some precious bonding time at home.

Any contribution, big or small, would mean the world to us. Your support will ease the financial stress on Regan and Zoe so they can focus on what matters most—Rylee’s health and healing.

Thank you for your generosity, love, and kindness.

P.S. For those wondering, this is not a genetic heart defect inherited from Regan or me. It’s just a heartbreaking coincidence that both of our children were born with congenital heart disease (CHD).