Hi, my name is Dave, and I'm fundraising for a great friend of mine and his beautiful family, most especially his daughter, Esther.

Esther is a bright, bubbly, mischievous, fun-loving 7yo, who wont let you believe that she is sick... not for a minute.. but if you read below, you'll find out she's so lucky to be here with us today.

PLEASE DON'T STOP READING YET... We need your help, please donate, please read below.

Her parents have had to spend weeks and weeks at a time in Hospital, they've had to stay home for weeks at a time, to isolate so they don't bring infection home, and somehow they've kept their jobs, and kept the bills paid, and the bank off their back.. but for how long. PLEASE DON'T STOP READING YET... We need your help, please donate, please read below.

At only 7years of age, Esther has had over 30 medical surgeries, 2 liver transplants, multiple stays in ICU, has missed months and months of schooling, hospital and home isolations, that list goes on...

Esther was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia at birth. At 3 months she underwent a Kasia procedure at Randwick Children's hospital with the hope it can save her native liver. Unfortunately the procedure failed and she was referred to Westmead children’s hospital and immediately listed Esther for a liver transplant, as she was in liver failure.

Four months later we received the call they had a liver for Esther and she was transplanted, 12 days after her 1st birthday on 22.05.2020. Whilst waiting for a liver Esther experienced countless hospital admissions for cholangitis, which is one of the many symptoms that comes with this liver disease.

Esther came out of a 10 hour surgery and the sight of Esther lying in icu connected to the medical line and pumps will never escape her parents.

Luckily Esther had a smooth recovery from the transplant, spending less than a week in ICU and a further 10 days in the ward, Esther was discharged to come home.

Being heavily immunocompromised, Esther had to isolate, which was easy at the time as it was during Covid and LGA lockdowns were in force.

9 months later, Esther’s liver functions had severely elevated, after multiple liver biopsies, ultrasounds, hospital admissions, multiple treatments of pulsing iv steroids to treat rejection. In the midst of these medical investigation and treatments, Esther was required to have bloods taken at least twice a week. Dispute these investigations, doctors were unable to determine an underlining reason why Esther's liver functions remained elevated and Esther wasn’t responding to these treatments.

From there further increased frequency of bloods was needed to closely monitor Esther’s liver, a central line was placed into Esther chest for easy blood draws without a needle and minimise trauma for Esther.

Finally the doctors discovered Esther had contracted Hepatitis C from the donor. over the 30 years of pediatric organ transplant, Esther was the first pediatric transplant patient this had ever happened to. Luckily after 6 months of oral medication treatment, Esther was in the clear.

On average hospital admissions would range between 5 to 6 times a year for fevers, simple viral symptoms, biopsies and investigatory procedures. Intravenous medical imaging.

Unfortunately there has been no end to post transplant complications for Esther.

From potential cancer scare, portal hypertension, internal bleeding, server belly distention and scard liver.

Christmas 2024, Esther presented to Sutherland ED for vomiting only to discover she was throwing up blood and was urgently transferred in an ambulance to Westmead children’s hospital. Immediate scope and banding were completed when the doctors determined a second liver transplant was needed as the liver was too scard and damaged.

On 24.3.2026, our daughter received her second liver transplant at age 6, she spent a week and half in icu then moved to the ward for another 3 weeks. Then a week later after her liver transplant discharge, she had a bowel obstruction and was rushed back into emergency surgery and surgeons had to reopen her entire surgery site and stayed in hospital for a further 2 weeks.

Esther cannot attend school during her 3 months isolation period, during this time she is required to have blood tests twice a week and weekly clinic follow ups at Westmead children’s hospital with continuous monitoring. Every minute esther spent in hospital, whether it be as an outpatient or inpatient requires time off work with reduced and/or no income for the family.

Being Esther’s second transplant , the unknown and unpredictably are all too familiar, only certainty for us is the medical journey is continuous for the rest of Esther’s life.