Hi everyone, I’m Coda’s Poppy, Frank.

Over the last 18 months my grandson Coda has grown so much, he now stands at 197cm. But with that growth came an unexpected challenge: he developed Pectus Carinatum (pigeon chest), a chest wall deformity where the breastbone and ribs push outward.

For many people this condition is treated for cosmetic reasons. But for Coda it’s not about how it looks, it’s about the pain. He can’t lie on his stomach or left side without discomfort. Sitting for too long at school leaves him in pain every day, and even rolling onto his left side in his sleep wakes him up.

Amber, his mum (and my daughter), took him to see a specialist, an Associate Professor who deals with this condition. Within 10 seconds of examining Coda, without even needing to remove his shirt, the doctor said: “Sorry mate, but you’ll need surgery.”

Naturally Amber assumed her private health cover would support him. Unfortunately, because the procedure falls under “plastic surgery reconstruction,” the claim was rejected. The surgeon even wrote to the fund explaining this was not cosmetic, but necessary to ease Coda’s ongoing pain and prevent further issues. Still, NIB refused, calling it a “pre-existing condition.”

With no other option, Amber has decided to go ahead with the surgery privately this October so Coda doesn’t have to wait in pain any longer. This decision means she will be left in significant debt, and any help received will not only go towards the surgery but will also ease the burden of everyday expenses and prevent her from falling further behind.

Here’s what she’s facing:

Hospital costs: $16,370

Surgeon: $6,000

Anaesthetist: $2,500

That’s a total of nearly $25,000 Amber needs to raise to get Coda the surgery he needs.

Coda is such a strong young man who rarely complains, even though he deals with pain every single day. As his poppy, it breaks my heart to see him suffer when there is a solution available, just one that comes at such a high cost.

Any help you can give, big or small, would mean the world to Coda, Amber and our family.

Thank you,

Frank (Poppy)