Ollie’s Fight: An Inspiration to Us All

Ollie was born with a clubbed foot and problems with his heart. Soon after, he was diagnosed with VACTERL Association, a rare condition that affects parts of the body including the spine, heart, kidneys, and limbs.

The medical team had to decide not only how to treat all of Ollie’s conditions, but also which to treat first. At only two days old, Ollie received open heart surgery. Since then, he has undergone more than 30 major operations.

For the past fifteen years, Ollie’s mum and dad have trusted the hospital with the life of their beautiful little boy.

“When Ollie was born, we had our team pretty much ready to go. It was like surgery ‘Tetris’, with the doctors always trying to figure out what could happen first,” explained Tracy, Ollie’s mum.

When Ollie turned five, it was time to treat his club foot – and there weren’t many options. When an amputation was suggested as having the most certain outcome, Tracy and Aaron agonised over the decision. But they realised an amputation and prosthetic leg was the only way to give Ollie full mobility and life. The surgery was a success.

Ollie is now a happy, and athletic fifteen-yearold and a fierce competitor on the sports field. Thanks to the help of Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, Ollie has been fitted with a running blade and loves to run.

“He’s fierce, and courageous, and has a great sense of humour. He’s a fabulous competitor and he loves his sport, and a real team player. He really cares for and has an empathy for a lot of his mates.”

This brave young man has spent a hefty portion of his childhood touched by so many departments within the hospital, where many pieces of equipment, staff and therapies are funded by the generosity of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation’s Movement of Many.

“If you have kids you love, you want to know that if they get sick, the clever people at the hospital have the tools, techniques, machines, and staff they need to fix them. For us, that’s been a gift we’ll never be able to repay. The hospital has given Ollie to us – beautifully healed and ready for life.”

Stories like this are what drives the incredible work Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation does. As one of the largest and most trusted kids’ health charities in the country, SCHF raises funds to help provide all children with access to the best possible healthcare, whenever and wherever they need it.

To find out how you can join our Movement of Many, visit schf.org.au.