Mateo Richie!

Mateo, 2 years old, presented at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane on Tuesday the 6th of June after a referral from his GP; his symptoms were slight fever, vomiting and yellow coloured eyes. Between Tuesday and Friday Mateo underwent a multitude of tests to assist in the accurate diagnosis of his symptoms. He was diagnosed on Friday the 9th of June with a very rare condition called Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis or HLH for short. HLH creates severe inflammation that the body is unable to switch off, and is the result of infected cells in the immune system becoming overactive due to an ineffective immune defence response. It’s symptoms are life threatening and require immediate treatment.

Mateo was prescribed an 8 week chemotherapy and steroid treatment plan which began on Saturday the 10th of June. His little body struggled with the intensity of the treatment and by Monday morning he was in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, under sedation, on life support and dialysis, where he remains to date as at 15/6/17.

Mateo is currently considered a critical patient, the forecast for his immediate future has so many variables, that Jorden, Boe, Quila-Rae and their families are taking one day at a time, while consistently consulting with Mateo’s treating doctors and nurses, so that they remain well informed of his condition and care.

There is only one certainty, and that is that treatment and recovery will be a long process; with HLH having such a high reactivation rate resulting in relapse, and due to chemotherapy treatment Mateo’s immune system will remain impaired for a prolonged period of time. At times like this the last thing any parent should have to worry about is their finances, it is the one practical thing that can be easily and quickly relieved.

In order to be with Mateo around the clock both Jorden and Boe’s employment has been effected, and their household income unstable and sparse. We humbly ask that if you have the means to donate financially toward their family, no matter how big or small, that you direct those donations here to this campaign. Funds will be used for rent, utilities, groceries and other day to day living expenses, giving them some breathing room and space to provide the best possible support and care for Mateo no matter how long it takes.

I feel it important to note for all parents, that in the space of a few days Mateo went from being ‘a bit sick’ to critical, no parent wants to see their child undergo such harsh and intensive treatments. We have a responsibility to our children to constantly and consistently be educating ourselves and to be pro-active on all aspects of not only their health and wellbeing, but also our own; and never to become solely reliant on any healthcare system, doctor or pharmaceutical to tell us what is wrong, what to do and what is best for our babies.

The power of united prayer from love should never be dismissed, please keep Mateo in yours, thank you in advance for your support.