'A simple cold or gastro bug could have killed her'

A little girl born with an extremely rare immunodeficiency was forced to live the first five months of her life completely shut off from the rest of the world.

A little girl with an extremely rare immunodeficiency has been given a second chance at life.

A Current Affair reports little Bronte was isolated from the rest of the world just two weeks into her life, but has now been given another chance at a ‘normal’ life thanks to groundbreaking new treatment.

Two-year-old Bronte was born with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), commonly known as ‘bubble baby disease’, meaning she effectively did not have an immune system.

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“She has no B-cells or T-cells to fight off any form of infection, and something as simple as a little cold or gastro could end up being life-threatening,” mum Emma told A Current Affair.

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Bronte at her second birthday celebrations with her family. Picture: A Current Affair

Two-year-old's rough start to life

Bronte, mum Emma, dad Jake, and siblings Kaius and Willow were forced to completely lock down for five months until Bronte could receive treatment in the UK.

For those four months, the family lived in London where Bronte received treatment at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

A Current Affair reports the treatment involved removing Bronte’s stem cells to alter them outside of her body, before chemotherapy to give her immune system a clean slate.

The corrected cells were then re-infused into her body to provide the building blocks for a healthy immune system.

Once back home, Bronte still had to keep a safe distance from the rest of the world until the family got confirmation the treatment had definitely worked.

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Bronte now lives a normal life thanks to groundbreaking treatment. Picture: A Current Affair

"Her immune system can now handle it"

Thankfully, more than a year on, Bronte is finally experiencing a ‘normal’ life, and her parents say she’s making up for lost time.

“She’s full of beans,” Emma told A Current Affair. “She’s wild … she’s living her best life really.

“She’s going to daycare and playing with other kids. She’s currently sick with a runny nose and a cold, but that’s OK because she gets better.”

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Bronte’s new life is a massive change of pace. Just months ago, something as simple as going to daycare could have been a death sentence, but now her immune system is the same as any other two-year-old’s.

“Obviously daycare is filled with little germs and bugs, but it’s amazing her immune system can handle it,” Emma told A Current Affair.

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Bronte's parents Emma and Jake. Picture: A Current Affair

"It's amazing to see her living a normal life"

Most babies born with SCID don’t survive infancy, but Bronte just celebrated her second birthday with friends and family.

“It was a wonderful day,” Emma said. “We decided to have a party in the park like we did for her other siblings.

“That was a good chance for all the people that had supported us over the past two years to come and actually meet Bronte, and for us to say thank you to them as well.”

Despite the challenge of moving halfway around the world for Bronte’s treatment, Emma and Jake told A Current Affair it was “all worth it”.

“It’s amazing to see her now living a normal life,” Emma said.

“She goes to swimming, we go to playgrounds, we visit family and friends, we go to birthday parties.

“Just little normal things that you sort of take for granted.”

Originally published as 'A simple cold or gastro bug could have killed her'