Why I’m doing Jeans for Genes

I’ve signed up to Jeans for Genes to raise money for Children’s Medical Research Institute and help save more kids’ lives. Can you help by sharing this message with the people you know and asking them to donate too?

Here's our story explaining why this cause is so important:

Sofia was a born a happy, healthy baby.  Until one day out of the blue, “She wasn’t quite right, she wasn’t gaining weight well. She kept getting infections, and as soon as the antibiotics were finished, the infections came straight back again.” Says mum Jamie. 

Doctors found something wrong with his blood, and when her mum was told it could be leukaemia “everything stopped.” As terrifying as that word was for her to hear, it was difficult as Sofia case was unique, and it took many bone marrow biopsies, blood tests and finally DNA tests to determine Sofia has a ultra rare genetic blood condition called Severe Congenital Neutropenia (SCN). 

Sofia was lucky to get the right treatment after the right diagnosis, but it could have gone very differently if that work had not been done.

“Medical research is so important to get any answers for any genetic condition,” said her mum Jamie . “For Sofia, the research done prior to her getting sick is what helped save her life, and then allow her to live a normal life. Research needs to continue so the next child diagnosed with an ultra-rare blood disorder, or other rare genetic condition—it can help them.”

I care about the 1 in 20 Aussie kids who face a birth defect or genetic disease. So, the research you and I support today may one day help someone we know, someone in our family.

There’s lots of work to do, but there is also lots of hope.

Join me. Share this message. Donate. Thank You!