For the kids’ sake

By Kath Gannaway
KIDS like Corey O’Brien make Maurice Dell’s job easy.
As captain of the Warburton CFA, Mr Dell is coordinating the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal in Upper Yarra.
“It’s an easy one to do and it’s a favourite with the brigade members as well,” Mr Dell said.
Corey, and many thousands like him, provide the inspiration for people to “give for the kids”.
The-nine-year-old, who goes to East Warburton Primary School, is a fighter. And so is his mum, Liz.
The children’s hospital has been a second home to the O’Brien family since Corey was born with Drash Syndrome, a rare condition which results in renal failure.
By the time he was seven months old he had total renal failure and was on dialysis. At nine months old he had both kidneys removed, then a transplant.
The journey for the family has been tortuous but it’s one Liz says they would not have done any other way.
That’s not a statement she makes lightly. Corey has been through a lot but he is a remarkable, strong little boy who is in so many ways an inspiration.
With a personality and charisma which draws people to him, Liz said he has a happy accepting nature and a strength which has been tested often enough.
“Nothing deters or fazes him. You do question whether you’re doing the right thing, putting a child through all of this,” she said. It is a decision which can’t be summed up in a few words but Liz said she believes they are the lucky ones.
“Three other children have been born in Australia with this condition and they have all passed away. We were sent home with information about palliative care and a prognosis of six months.”
Corey’s quality of life was paramount, and he’s a fighter.
He’s been through dialysis at one point requiring a trip to the Children’s three days a week, four hours on the machine and a four-hour trip in the car.
Liz said Corey’s hero was Dr Harley Powell – Uncle Harley – the hospital’s renal consultant.
“Harley didn’t give up on Corey. He has been with us the entire way and if not for him I don’t know how we would have got through,” she said. “When you’re spending three or four weeks at a time in a place you get to know everyone and they become a family,” Liz said of the 7 West team. “It’s like another world in there that people just walking around outside would have no idea about.
“When you there for the long haul, you realise what an unbelievable job they do.”
The Royal Children’s Hospital aims to better last year’s record $11.8m this year and Maurice Dell and his team at Warburton will be doing their bit to see it happens.
“We coordinate the area but other community groups, such as the scouts, get involved,” he said. “When you knock on the door on Good Friday and you’re in uniform you rarely get a knock back and that’s because it’s for the Children’s.”