Hopes for Easter miracle for Bray Park ‘fighter’ who lost her limbs
Little Aliannah defied all odds by surviving a horrendous case of meningococcal, but now she’s hoping Queenslanders can help deliver an Easter miracle to give her the gift of freedom after losing her limbs to the disease. SEE HER VIDEO
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A little girl who defied all odds by surviving a horrendous case of meningococcal is hoping an Easter miracle may offer her the gift of freedom after losing her limbs to the disease.
Eight-year-old Aliannah Green-Collins’ life was turned upside down on December 3, 2021, when she was rushed to the Queensland Children’s hospital with suspected meningococcal disease.
It was there that Aliannah’s mum Bianca Collins and her father Daniel Green braced for the worst.
“We got told the most devastating thing we had ever heard … she contracted meningococcal sepsis which is a very deadly illness and she was in a life-threatening situation,” Ms Collins, of Bray Park, said.
It would be three months before she would be discharged from hospital — a sizeable amount of that time spent in the intensive care unit.
“Doctors told our family twice to prepare for the fact that we were most likely going to lose our Aliannah.
“This was gut-wrenching and very hard to hear — something no parent is ever prepared for.”
Aliannah, at age six, underwent more than 20 surgeries, including the amputations of both of her legs above her knees and both of her arms just below her elbows.
“In March 2022 we were released from hospital and Aliannah still has a long road ahead as she learns to live as a quadruple amputee,” Ms Collins said.
“She has had to relearn how to do just about every daily task and is dealing with changes that no child should ever have to live through.”
Aliannah has learnt how to drive an electric wheelchair, offering her independence and the ability to socialise with her friends.
In a bid to give her more freedom and normality, Aliannah’s family is asking for help to raise funds for a specialised car to travel in her electric wheelchair, as only a few types of vehicles are equipped to do so.
“We would be able to enjoy family outings again knowing Aliannah is able to enjoy herself and feel independent out and about in her electric chair — not being pushed in a manual chair,” Ms Collins said.
“To be able to purchase a car to drive my child around in her electric wheelchair would be absolutely life changing.”
Ms Collins said having no form of transport for her daughter has left her feeling like she had “failed” her child.
“It makes me sad, I just feel like crying,” she said.
“It feels like the only outing she gets is school and it just makes me feel bad as a mum because I can’t get her out.
“Her electric wheelchair is the key to her independence in all of her activities and it’s so hard not having a car that’s able to transport her in this chair.
“Even simple things like being able to drop her at school, rather than go in a taxi, just so she can have her electric wheelchair at home and school.
Ms Collins said having the ability to both purchase an electric wheelchair and an electric wheelchair accessible car would just be impossible for her, having left her job to become Aliannah’s full-time carer.
“No one expects this to happen to their child and finding the money to purchase a very expensive vehicle is just not possible,” she said.
“It’s a big deal to not be able to get a vehicle to support my daughter’s needs.”
Ms Collins set up a MyCause page which has raised just over $1590 towards their goal of $60,000.
“There are no options for government funding for the purchase of an appropriate vehicle.
“We have already reached out to many people, including local car companies, MPs and charities but unfortunately have not had any luck with finding a funding source.”
Aliannah was given the use of a van and an electric wheelchair over the school holidays by a good Samaritan.
“It’s been amazing just to be able to make some memories out in the van, because we haven’t really been able to go out anywhere since Ally got out of hospital last year.
“We’ve been able to go just down to the shops and she’s been able to drive around, go to the park … it’s actually been life changing.
“I wish we didn’t have to hand it back.
She said Aliannah was “hoping, praying that we can get the help she needs to move around independently”.
“She is taking on every challenge that comes her way.
“Aliannah is a fighter, but she needs a new set of wheels so that she can take on the world.”
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