Jarrad Howard’s bizarre bone condition could have remained a mystery if it weren’t for him breaking his leg. After undergoing scans for his fractured femur, RCH doctors discovered Jarrad’s bone was deteriorating. In fact, one of his hips was deeply disintegrated. Jarrad has been diagnosed with Gorham’s disease and is only one of 200 in the … Continued
Betty and Delilah Kemp-Bishop were born three days before Christmas. Ready to take their parcels of joy home, the girls’ parents were shocked to realise one of them would require a little extra unwrapping. Betty was born with an ill-formed oesophagus, causing it to fuse with her trachea. She was raced to the RCH for emergency … Continued
Little Alyssa Walsh is so cute she makes everyone’s heart race. Unfortunately, the 10-month-old’s own heart was also racing – at twice the speed of a normal child’s. After trying medication and even a special machine to rest her heart, RCH electrophysiologists had no choice but to operate. They burned the miniscule section of her … Continued
Jumping Jack Dermott was diagnosed with leukaemia five months ago. The Wangaratta boy presented to his local doctor with bruises on his shins and a bloated tummy, before being transferred to the RCH to start intense chemotherapy. Jack’s sister Maddelyn, 3, does her best to entertain her brother during treatment in the Day Oncology unit. With her … Continued
Moroolbark toddler Hudson Stokes woke one morning, late last year, suddenly unable to walk or talk. He was rushed to The Royal Children’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed and treated for an extremely rare metabolic condition that had stopped his heart and melted his muscles. After several weeks and eight operations, the plucky two-year-old is … Continued
When Caitlin Raco came to The Royal Children’s Hospital for investigation of a persistent tummy ache, no one expected the shock diagnosis that followed. Tests revealed a tumour above her kidney, and the cancer had spread to her liver, bone and marrow. Three-year-old Caitlin has since undergone chemotherapy, and surgery is the next challenge. Read the … Continued
Ten-year-old Breanna Hinchcliffe has never been able to smile. Breanna has a condition called moebius syndrome, which causes the permanent paralysis of her face and prevents her from showing emotions. Today, RCH plastic surgeons will conduct surgery to correct the condition and help Breanna move her face. The surgery involves removing muscle from Breanna’s thigh and inserting … Continued
The English cricket team took time out of training to spread some Christmas cheer at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) this morning. The entire squad split into groups to visit patients on every ward. Despite experiencing some healthy ribbing from patriotic parents, the players signed miniature bats for children and posed for photos. After spending … Continued
Little Ben Lowe is making a remarkable recovery from a rare condition doctors see only once in a decade. When he was just six months old Ben’s body stiffened up into a superhero flying pose, with his head tilting up, and his arms stretched all the way behind his back. Doctors at the RCH diagnosed him with infantile … Continued
Fifteen-month-old Casper has a colourful string of beads, but his mother hopes it doesn’t get any longer. Every single one of Casper’s 200 beads marks a milestone or type of treatment in his fight against cancer. He was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma in June this year. Many cancer patients at The Royal Children’s Hospital are recording … Continued
