A Point Cook mother who credits staff at the Royal Children’s Hospital with saving her daughter’s life is urging people to support the Good Friday Appeal.
Storm Spinks was only five weeks old when she started to cough uncontrollably.
Her mother Ashley took Storm to two different general practitioners, who both said it was a viral infection and would pass with rest.
But the coughing fits worsened. When Storm stopped breathing on March 15, Ms Spinks’s tiny daughter was rushed to the Royal Children’s.
Storm spent 10 days in a ward after being diagnosed with whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes severe coughing fits and can be fatal for infants.
“It was terrifying. Despite hearing the opinions of the two doctors, my mother’s instinct told me something was really wrong,” Ms Spinks said.
“We had been keeping a close eye on her and the cough just seemed to be getting worse.”
Ms Spinks said she felt at ease as soon as she walked through the doors of the hospital.
“All the nurses were fantastic, they kept checking on Storm all the time. I was so worn out that I could rest there and get some sleep too.”
Storm is now at home and nearing perfect health. The little girl is one of the thousands of children treated at the hospital every day.
This Friday marks the hospital’s 83rd Good Friday appeal. More than $258 million has been raised since it began in 1931.
Point Cook CFA volunteers will doorknock homes in the Point Cook, Seabrook, Sanctuary Lakes and Werribee South areas on Friday as part of the appeal.
Shuttle buses will ferry collectors to and from locations between 9am and 3pm.
» To volunteer: 0431 584 660 or email goodfridayappeal@pointcookcfa.org.au
» To donate: 9292 1166 or goodfridayappeal.com.au/donate
