When doctors told Hope that every bone in her baby son Coltonās body was broken, she could barely process the news. Soon after, they delivered another devastating reality ā he would need a bone marrow transplant just to survive.Ā
āWe felt very broken,āā Hope said. āI just wanted to curl up in a ball.āāĀ
At first, Coltonās family noticed he wasnāt making eye contact or following movement around the room. Then at just two months old, he developed spots on his skin and Hope rushed him to hospital.Ā
āThe whole way there, I was just crying, thinking that something was wrong,āā Hope said.Ā
There were more shocks to come when x-rays revealed every bone in Coltonās tiny body had some form of break. Genetic testing later confirmed he had osteopetrosis, a rare genetic disease that causes bones to become overly dense and brittle.Ā
Colton needed an immediate bone marrow transplant to survive. During the transplant process, he was in and out of intensive care many times. It wasnāt until close to a year later that he recovered.Ā
Today, Colton is a happy little boy. He cannot yet see or talk and is still learning to walk, but his mum says his strength shines through.Ā
āHe is the happiest, sweetest little boy. After everything he's gone through, he's very resilient for how old he is.āāĀ
For Hope, supporting research is deeply personal.Ā
āI was drawn to Childrenās Medical Research Institute and Jeans for Genes to become an advocate because I don't want parents to go through what we've gone through,ā she said.Ā
You can help give kids like Colton hope for a healthier future.Ā
Donate now and help fund the research that could lead to better treatments and cures for children like Colton.
