Mother-of-three Brooke Walker is the embodiment of devotion, but even the strongest and most loving need help and the community is rallying to help build an outdoor play area for Brooke and partner Micheal Weir’s sons Jordan and Logan who have a rare condition, which prevents them from eating and drinking.
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REBECCA BERRY reports.
There is a saying that any woman can give birth to a child but it takes a real woman to love, cherish and raise her children.
Brooke Walker, a courageous and devoted mum to her three young sons, is the embodiment of that expression.
Ms Walker’s two youngest sons, Jordan, four and Logan, 15 months, are the only two children in Australia with a rare condition called X-linked chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.
She spends 24-hours a day caring for her sons at their Raymond Terrace home, while dad Micheal Weir works long hours.
They know that their two youngest boys may not live for a long time.
Dylan, 6, does not have the same condition as his brothers and is in kindergarten.
Jordan is able to attend preschool once a week thanks to the special care he has received.
But Ms Walker, 28, has one wish for her energetic, playful sons– to build them a safe and clean outdoor play area in their backyard with space to ride bikes and run around like normal little boys.
The family does not have the $40,000 needed to build an outdoor room so they are appealing to the community for help with donations of labour, materials and cash.
“Because I am the carrier of the gene, the boys are affected, and there is no cure for their condition,” Ms Walker said.
“Jordan was diagnosed when he was about two months old by a genetics team.
“We found out Logan had the same condition after we had an amniocentesis.
“Jordan spent his first 13 months in hospital and Logan the first 11 months of his life. They have been back and forth to hospital again with infections.”
The boys cannot eat or drink so they are connected to TPN (total parenteral nutrition) machines 18 hours a day to supply them with the nutrients their growing bodies need.
Jordan can swallow small amounts of water while Logan has a nasogastric tube for formula.
The boys have had surgery to be fitted with a tube inside their bowels. They are also on daily medication and a constant wound care regime.
“Jordan is an outgoing, very boisterous boy, while Logan is a baby who sticks close to his mum and dad,” Ms Walker said.
“There are times when I feel up and down about their condition because I don’t know what the future holds for them.
“Early to mid teens is the life expectancy we were given for them. It is all so unpredictable and is always in the back of my mind.
“We might not have them for long but we take it day-to-day and do the best we can for them.”
Ms Walker also has the support of her family – mum Tanya, dad Chris and sister Katie.
“I always wanted to be a young mum and even though I did not know what to expect once I had the boys and I will never give up on them,” she said.
“I gave birth to them, it is my mother’s instinct to care for them.
“All I hope is for the boys to be playing outside in summer because we have no room inside the house for them to run around safely.”
The boys’ grandfather Chris Walker has campaigned hard to find resources and options to keep the boys healthy and to improve their lives.
“There is no government help available to them until 2018 [under the new federal disability insurance scheme],” he said.
“The family needs help with respite care and medical expenses which can be $200 to $500 per week out of pocket. An outdoor room is a major project for the boys and it is out of the family’s reach.”
Mr Walker would be happy to talk to anyone who can donate their skills and time to the project.
He can be contacted on 0448 686 582.
The boys’ progress can be followed on their Facebook page Change For Jordan and Logan.