By LIA SPENCER
WHILE many a mum-to-be is pre-occupied with fixing up the nursery, buying last minute essentials and getting some extra rest, a heavily pregnant Pakenham woman has been focused on helping her nephew in need.
Jackie Trewhella is 40 weeks pregnant to her first child but has been spending the past week trying to raise funds for her nephew Elijah who was born this month with congenital heart failure.
Jackie and her sister Kat Crinis enjoyed their pregnancy together and looked forward to their due dates which were a week apart.
But plans took a devastating turn shortly after Kat gave birth to Elijah two weeks ago.
“Kat had a normal scan at 20 weeks – everything seemed fine. She had a normal birth.
“But then little things seemed to go wrong. He wasn’t feeding well, he was breathing fast and he was generally unsettled,” Jackie said.
“They got discharged from the hospital but at the first midwife appointment they noticed Elijah’s breath rate and they went back to hospital.
“He was transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital and is in the intensive care unit. He has three congenital heart defects.”
Elijah has undergone one open-heart operation, will have to have another one within nine months and is expected to have about three operations within the next three years.
He isn’t expected to be discharged from the hospital for at least another six months.
Jackie has set up a page to help raise funds for Kat and her husband to help cover any lost wages, the commute from their Mount Evelyn home and hospital parking, which is about $36 a day.
She said the support from friends, families and strangers has been overwhelming.
“Gofundme wants you to put down a goal when you set up an account. I made a $1000 goal thinking that was a bit presumptuous,” Jackie said.
“So far people have donated $9400. It’s been amazing.”
Jackie said that although it’s been a tough couple of weeks she still looked forward to giving birth to her baby, who is due this week.
“I am having a little boy, so it will be nice to have two little cousins who can grow up sharing birthdays and other things,” she said.
“I know I am going to cherish him.”
Anyone who wants to donate can do so at http://m.gofund.me/zeubpw.
