The Story Of Mariah

Mariah, who is 8-year-old, was born premature at 23 weeks and 5 days and weighed just over 500grams. She was very vulnerable with little development of her body, organs and brain. At 10 days old, Mariah picked up an E. coli superbug via her IV drip, which gave her a bleed on a part of the brain, developing Dystonic Cerebral Palsy. The antibiotics she received contributed to her hearing loss completely. Now she only has one cochlear implant on the left ear. Recently in 2019, Mariah braved her first larger surgery to have a peg to assist her with fortified feeds to keep up her energy and nutrients. After 2 weeks in ICU, she dropped to 7.2kg, fighting for her life. Mariah then had her second surgery, as a result saving her life. In 2021, Mariah contracted Covid and spent 5 weeks in the hospital. She was diagnosed with a huge kidney stone, which was removed however resulted in extreme post-surgery illness.The parents are so blessed to have Mariah in their lives, and she has tied her family together in strength and hope.
These days they are focused on therapy, healing Mariah and ensuring she is happy in her world; and to find joy in hers.

What is upcoming is more hope for Mariah with new mobility equipment, re-design of key areas of their home for easy accessibility and preparation in 2023 for surgery on her legs. The family thank you all from the bottom of their hearts for listening to Mariah’s story.