Support the Barker Family
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Imagine being told that a rapidly growing bruise that you had discovered on your 5 year old son was in fact the result of a rare & very serious "flesh eating" bacteria.
This is the story of Kilan Barker and his family..
On Monday the 26th of September 2016, 5 year old Kilan Barker was feeling unwell and complained of a pain in his groin area. When his mother, Sam, had a look she noticed a purple looking bruise about the size of a 5 cent piece. Over the next two hours it grew bigger and began to swell. Sam took Kilan to see his doctor who then sent Sam and Kilan straight to Stanthorpe Hospital. From Stanthorpe Hospital they were then sent on to Toowoomba Hospital & from there to Lady Celinto in Brisbane.
By 4am Tuesday morning, the bruise had grown to the size of a football and was spreading fast. The Doctor told Kilan's parents that if they had have waited any longer they would have lost him. Kilan was rushed into surgery and had most of his lower abdomin and some of his groin area, skin tissue removed. He remained in an induced coma for 2-3 days.
The start of it all in September 2016
The next morning morning @ Lady Cilento Children's Hospital Brisbane
When Kilan came out of surgery & was in ICU
1st time seeing Kilan's belly after removing vac dressing
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare & serious bacterial skin infection that spreads quickly and kills the body's soft tissue. It is commonly called a "flesh eating infection". Sometimes toxins made by these bacteria destroy the tissue they infect, causing it to die. When this happens, the infection is very serious and can result in loss of limbs or death.
Prompt treatment with strong antibiotics through a vein, & surgery are important to stopping this infection that can become life threatening in a very short amount of time.
Kilan has had 3 surgeries to clean & check his wound, & to make sure they have removed all the infected tissue. On the 5th October 2016 he under went 2.5 hours of surgery to start his skin grafting.
Kilan's donor leg after skin graft
12 months later in December 2017, Kilan underwent a 5 and a half hour surgery to reconstruct his lower abdomin. After a week and a half in hospital he was sent home.
However, after being home for less then a week, Kilan had to go back to Brisbane (lady Cilento) on Christmas morning due to his wounds becoming infectected.
After 7 long weeks of Kilan enduring weekly theatre procedures to keep his wounds clean with vac dressings, he was finally able to return home.
12 months with this pressure suit on 24/7
Poor little Kilan has been through so much, and for Kilan's parents to watch him go through so much pain has been heart breaking.
As you could appreciate the emotional and financial strain placed so suddenly on the barker family has been substancial. They have been through so much. Please help us to raise awareness & ease some of the burden of the ongoing costs associated with Kilan's rare condition to this family in need. Sharing can help just as much as donating & the Barker family would be extremely grateful for any support you can give.
This is the story of Kilan Barker and his family..
On Monday the 26th of September 2016, 5 year old Kilan Barker was feeling unwell and complained of a pain in his groin area. When his mother, Sam, had a look she noticed a purple looking bruise about the size of a 5 cent piece. Over the next two hours it grew bigger and began to swell. Sam took Kilan to see his doctor who then sent Sam and Kilan straight to Stanthorpe Hospital. From Stanthorpe Hospital they were then sent on to Toowoomba Hospital & from there to Lady Celinto in Brisbane.
By 4am Tuesday morning, the bruise had grown to the size of a football and was spreading fast. The Doctor told Kilan's parents that if they had have waited any longer they would have lost him. Kilan was rushed into surgery and had most of his lower abdomin and some of his groin area, skin tissue removed. He remained in an induced coma for 2-3 days.
The start of it all in September 2016
The next morning morning @ Lady Cilento Children's Hospital Brisbane
When Kilan came out of surgery & was in ICU
1st time seeing Kilan's belly after removing vac dressing
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare & serious bacterial skin infection that spreads quickly and kills the body's soft tissue. It is commonly called a "flesh eating infection". Sometimes toxins made by these bacteria destroy the tissue they infect, causing it to die. When this happens, the infection is very serious and can result in loss of limbs or death.
Prompt treatment with strong antibiotics through a vein, & surgery are important to stopping this infection that can become life threatening in a very short amount of time.
Kilan has had 3 surgeries to clean & check his wound, & to make sure they have removed all the infected tissue. On the 5th October 2016 he under went 2.5 hours of surgery to start his skin grafting.
Kilan's donor leg after skin graft
12 months later in December 2017, Kilan underwent a 5 and a half hour surgery to reconstruct his lower abdomin. After a week and a half in hospital he was sent home.
However, after being home for less then a week, Kilan had to go back to Brisbane (lady Cilento) on Christmas morning due to his wounds becoming infectected.
After 7 long weeks of Kilan enduring weekly theatre procedures to keep his wounds clean with vac dressings, he was finally able to return home.
12 months with this pressure suit on 24/7
Poor little Kilan has been through so much, and for Kilan's parents to watch him go through so much pain has been heart breaking.
As you could appreciate the emotional and financial strain placed so suddenly on the barker family has been substancial. They have been through so much. Please help us to raise awareness & ease some of the burden of the ongoing costs associated with Kilan's rare condition to this family in need. Sharing can help just as much as donating & the Barker family would be extremely grateful for any support you can give.
Organizer
Kristy Watmough
Organizer
Pikes Creek QLD
