Hi, my name is Jean, and together with my wife Melanie, we are fundraising for our newborn daughter, Ariyah.

Ariyah was born early at 36 weeks through an emergency C-section due to complications during pregnancy. At the same time, Melanie had to undergo surgery to remove a large ovarian cyst. What we hoped would be a moment of relief quickly turned into something much more challenging.

Just one week after her birth, we were informed that Ariyah may have a serious immune condition. After further testing, this was confirmed as SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency). This means Ariyah’s immune system is extremely weak, and she now requires ongoing medical care, including monthly immunoglobulin infusions and a bone marrow transplant planned at around 3 months of age.

Melanie will need to stay in Brisbane with Ariyah for several months during her treatment, and during this time she is unable to return to work. Due to my work commitments in Ingham, I will remain there and support them as much as possible, travelling when I can.

Since January, I have been working in Ingham and living in a unit, while Melanie and Ariyah have remained in Townsville. This has meant we are currently paying for two separate accommodations, which has placed additional financial pressure on us.

Our plan after Ariyah’s birth was to move together to Ingham, cancel the Townsville rental, and secure a stable long-term home. However, due to Ariyah’s medical condition, the current unit in Ingham is not suitable, and we now urgently need to find safe and appropriate housing for her needs.

At the same time, we are facing significant financial pressure. Due to our visa status, many medical costs were not fully covered by our private insurance. We have already used most of our savings on hospital bills, insurance updates, visa expenses, and preparing for Ariyah’s care.

We are raising funds to help cover:

* Relocation costs from Townsville to Ingham (bond, rent, and moving expenses)

* Ongoing rent overlap while transitioning between homes

* Basic living expenses while supporting Ariyah’s treatment in Brisbane

This is a very difficult time for our family, but we are doing everything we can to stay strong and give Ariyah the best possible chance.

Any support, no matter how small, would mean so much to us and help us focus on what truly matters — our daughter’s health.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jean, Melanie & Baby Ariyah