Can you help save Willie's life?
‘I was so scared Willie would die.’
Wilma, Willie’s mum
Can you help save the life of
7-year-old Willie from Vanuatu?
ACT NOW: Every dollar you give by 30 June
will be matched, TRIPLING your gift’s impact!
DONATE NOW
Are you shocked by the photos of Willie?
Willie was dangerously malnourished. A huge tumour on the side of his face was stopping him eating. And the lump was growing at an alarming rate.
His mum, Wilma, was terrified her son was going to die.
Willie’s condition was so life-threatening my team pulled out all stops to bring Willie here urgently. And now we need your help to get Willie the medical care he so desperately needs.
DONATE NOW
The great news is a wonderful international trust
PLUS the Smorgon Family Foundation
have agreed to MATCH every dollar you give by 30 June 2023.
This means you can now TRIPLE your help for Willie and children in need!
Wilma shares:
‘I was so scared when Willie’s tumour started to grow.
It grew so fast … it was so strong, it pushed his teeth out of the way.
Willie couldn’t eat. He just had to lie in bed.
He got so so skinny.’
According to the World Health Organisation, the average weight for a 7 year old boy is 23.1kg.
When he arrived in Australia, tiny Willie weighed just 16.2kg.
And 700g of that was his tumour.
That means, Willie at 7 years, was the weight of an average 3-4 year-old.
Because of how life-threatening Willie’s tumour was, we had to act immediately. Thanks to your ongoing support for emergency cases just like Willie’s, we were able to get him here and into surgery within a few days.
On March 30, Willie had surgery to remove his tumour. It went well … but then the team who were monitoring him noticed his bloods weren’t right. Willie was transferred right away to intensive care.
It turns out Willie was suffering from Refeeding syndrome.
Refeeding syndrome can happen when someone who has been malnourished begins eating again. If food is introduced too quickly, it can cause serious complications.
Willie has a long road to recovery ahead of him. His body needs to learn how to process food again, and it’s highly likely he’ll need additional medical care to repair his teeth.
As if that weren’t enough, he also has a fistula – a hole in the wound under his chin. The medical team caring for him think he may even need two to three more surgeries including a bone graft and some time with a tracheostomy.
It’s so much for such a young child to bear, isn’t it.
That’s why you’re needed.
By giving today and having your donation TRIPLED, your help goes further…
… to make sure we can respond urgently whenever a child is suffering
… so together we can help more children like Willie get the life-saving and lifechanging medical care they desperately need. What great news! Please donate today!
DONATE NOW