Hi, my name is Karlie. I hate admitting defeat or asking for help with my son Cooper but here I am asking for your help to get our family through this rough time.

Cooper is a now a 10 year old boy that has multiple disabilities. Some of those disabilities are: Spina Bifida (subsequent paraplegia in legs), Hydrocephalus (with a VP Shunt & Rickham Reservoir), Arnold Chiari Malformation Type II, VeloCardioFacial Syndrome (22q11 deletion/Di George Syndrome), Scoliosis, Osteopenia, Hypocalcemia, Hypothyroidism, Asthma, Level 3 Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Sleep apnoea (obstructive and central), and many others.

Cooper has had many trials and tribulations of trying to stay alive. When he was only 5 months old he had a period of 4 weeks where there was 10 episodes of him going lifeless which required CPR to bring him back everytime. At this point we had a meeting where the doctors looking after him wanted us to sign a DNR as they were concerned about his quality of life. We denied this decision and thankfully we did because the little man ended up in respiratory arrest. Which means he would not be alive today if we signed that document. From that time there has been many other instances where we have almost lost him due to illnesses and surgeries but he has managed to prove every doctor wrong to still be here today.

We have recently been told that Cooper's Scoliosis diagnosis has progressed to a point that if it is left untreated it can progress to a point where he will not survive. Additionally, the surgery they are wanting to do to correct the issue is putting Cooper in a very High Risk of not making it through the surgery.

In the recent doctors visit they have stated that Cooper's right lung is now being crushed which has been confirmed that he is now showing signs of decreased breathe sounds. His right leg is swollen to the point that it looks like a balloon that needs to pop. His left leg is skinny with a purple colour from his toes to his knee due to a circulation issue. When he is just lying down in his bed he does not look comfortable because he doesnt get the luxury of lying nice and straight but gets stuck in a right angle position almost constantly. His pain from the scoliosis has increased which doctors have had to increase his pain meds to try to make him as comfortable as possible.

The reason we are asking for some financial help is because we will not be able to financially support our family with the normal cost of living on top of being stuck in a hospital during Coopers Surgery. Even though I have a permenant part time position for work I have not got enough leave to be able to cover his extensive stay and we cant rely on just my partners income to get us through because it quiet honestly it wont stretch.

If you can help us in any way it would be muchly appreciated.