After losing their four-month-old daughter to a rare metabolic condition in March, the Busuttil family has presented Mount Isa Hospital’s Children’s Ward with a cheque for $5564.
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In memory of Ariana, the donation will purchase two valuable paediatric monitors.
Carla and Anthony Busuttil began fundraising shortly after their precious daughter died, in an effort to pour their grief into something positive.
Their GoFundMe page quickly raised the required amount of money for the monitors.
Through a Facebook page, “In Memory of Ariana Busuttil”, the family also raised funds for Ronald McDonald House in Townsville, where the Busuttils initially stayed after Ariana was born.
“Fundraising was a way of keeping her with us, extending our time with Ariana,” explained Mrs Busuttil.
She said her daughter had changed their lives.
“She changed everyone’s lives. She had such strength and determination, even with everything she went through.”
Even in utero, there was a hint that there might be something wrong with Ariana’s heart, but specialists in Townsville thought it might correct itself, said Mrs Busuttil.
“After her birth at Townsville Hospital she was put into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Her blood sugar was low and her lactic acid high, and it was thought there was a problem with her metabolism.”
That was later diagnosed in Brisbane, when Ariana was transferred there, and was put on heart medication to regulate her heart. Ariana had to be fed with a nasal gastric tube, and failed to put on weight.
The family is still waiting to hear the full diagnosis of Ariana’s condition from Brisbane specialist Dr McGill.
Back in Mount Isa, Ariana was able to be at home with her family for over a month before she died, and Mrs Busuttil said she was often in the Children’s Ward.
“The doctors and nurses in the Children’s Ward looked after my daughter as if she was their own.
“They celebrated with us when she gained weight and supported me when I cried.
“We can never thank them enough for what they have done for our family.”
Ms Busuttil said although it was a horrible time for the family, they could not have come through it without the support of the wonderful doctors and nurses.
“Dr Elke Recktenwald and Dr Mark Patrick were amazing, and the nurse team and ambulance officers.”
Director of Paediatrics, Dr Mark Patrick, said the oximeters would be very useful on the Children’s Ward.
“They take the three fundamental observations of children’s health: heart rate, oxygen saturation in the blood, and blood pressure – all the major observations.”
Dr Patrick said a small plaque remembering Ariana would be attached to the monitors.
NWHHS Chief Executive, Lisa Davies Jones, said the donation was a wonderful effort from the Busuttil family.
“It is not just the money that is appreciated by me and our staff, but the recognition of the hard work and dedication of our staff, and the acknowledgement of the bond between them and the family and little Ariana. It will certainly keep her memory alive for us and we are very grateful to the family,” Ms Davies Jones said.
