Jackson is every bit the three-year-old who is obsessed with cars and trucks, happiest outdoors and is always on the move. You’d never guess he began life with a condition that quietly threatened his developing brain.
Soon after Jackson was born, the medical team flagged that the shape of his head didn’t look quite right, but there wasn’t too much concern at first. Excited to start their life as a family of three, Kayla remembers her phone ringing – she could never have imagined receiving the news on the other end.
“They rang at 4pm and said his sagittal suture had fused… he could have brain damage… he’s going to need surgery. I was a mess”, Kayla remembers.
Scans confirmed sagittal craniosynostosis – a premature fusion of the skull that can restrict brain growth. Based outside of Sydney, Jackson was referred to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead as he would require specialist surgery. At first, Kayla thought this would have meant a lengthy operation, long hospital stays, and a tough recovery.
Thanks to philanthropy, there was another path.
Donor support helped bring a world-leading craniofacial surgeon to Sydney to train local teams in a less-invasive procedure. Instead of a full skull reconstruction that may have been required later in Jackson’s life, he could have a microscopic strip craniectomy before 4 months old. This meant tiny incisions, a shorter operation and a much quicker recovery.
“We put our trust in the experts,” Kayla says. The operation took a few hours. He spent two nights in hospital, then went home.
No weeks-long admission. No drains. No long hospital stays. With a custom helmet to gently guide his skull shape as he grew, his head rounded beautifully.
“He had to wear his custom helmet 23 hours a day for six months.” On reflection, Kayla says this was probably the hardest part of the journey. But the results were remarkable. “You wouldn’t even know anything was wrong with him now – his head changed drastically.”
Today he’s busy being a kid – racing around the backyard, starting preschool, and keeping up with his little sister.
For Jackon’s family, philanthropy didn’t just change an operation – it changed their everyday life. It meant fewer nights in hospital, a smoother recovery, and the simple joy of getting their baby home where he belongs.
There will always be children like Jackson who need the best care, at the right time, delivered in the least invasive way. With your help, we can keep pioneering the procedures that shorten hospital stays, speed healing, and attract the brightest medical minds.
Your gift today helps fund the clinicians, training, and tools that can change the future for sick kids.
