Christy Rae named as inaugural Daily Telegraph mother of the year
The past year has been a rollercoaster for Newcastle mum Christy Rae. Read why she is The Daily Telegraph mother of the year.
NSW
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Spending two-thirds of 2020 in an isolation bubble in a desperate effort to keep her infant daughter safe from germs while the bub battled a brain tumour, mum-of-five Christy Rea has put all aspects of life on hold for her baby.
The Daily Telegraph’s Mum of the Year Christy and her husband Bradley Rea’s more-than-year-long battle to give 14-month-old Imogen the best shot at survival began when the tot was just eight days old.
The couple woke up in their Cameron Park home in Newcastle and noticed their newborn was having trouble breathing.
They quickly dialled triple-0 and paramedics rushed her to John Hunter Hospital.
“As soon as she arrived in emergency a swarm of doctors just descended on our little baby and said ‘you did the right thing’ — and at just two weeks old she was diagnosed with congenital Glioblastoma Multiforme Grade 4,” Mr Rea said.
That type of brain cancer is usually found in adults not children and is considered extremely rare and aggressive.
Practically every minute since then Ms Rea has been by her daughter’s side helping her get through intense chemotherapy, six brain surgeries and numerous procedures to keep her alive.
Ms Rea put her job as a paediatric occupational therapist on hold along with study for a PhD in family studies as her life quickly became one of restless nights spent trying to snatch minutes of sleep in vinyl recliners in hospital wards — just to be by her daughter’s side.
Mr Rea said his wife’s resilience through the whole ordeal amazed him.
“When I married her I had no idea it was Superwoman in disguise,” he said.
“She has had the hardest year which I could have possibly ever imagined. She has been amazing. Christie has been the No. 1 carer for (Imogen), she has spent so much time in hospital.”
He said there was nothing more powerful for tiny Imogen than to have her mother by her side after the cancer grew back in June when chemotherapy stopped proving effective.
“It was working up until then but it grew back and she needed another surgery to get it out,” Mr Rea said. “After the surgery nurses were struggling to keep her oxygen saturation up and it was wildly deviating as well.
“Then Christy arrived at the scene and said ‘quick can I give her a feed’?
“And Christy took her and put her on the breast, she just held her there and the oxygen shot straight up to the safe zone of 96 per cent.
“We had been there for 25 minutes watching her oxygen levels and one of the nurses just looked at me and then at the monitors and said ‘are you seeing what is happening?’
“That is the connection between babies and mums. When the connection is there, they are just so much more likely to prosper, flourish and survive.”
Ms Rea was nominated for The Telegraph’s Mum of the Year award by Margaret Ladru, a member of Macquarie College near Lake Macquarie, who said she was amazed how she maintained hope during the lonely and tough days last year.
“Imogen has had many procedures done over her short life and Christy has been there every step of the way,” Ms Ladru said.
Ms Rea, who has four other daughters, was over the moon when she was nominated for the inaugural award.
“I am shocked and surprised, I thought it was a joke at first to be nominated,” she said.
She said her connection with Imogen inspired her and kept her going.
“Babies do feel fear and anxiety and that kind of thing but you have the bond you have with them, it ends up being a lifeline to them, it is their link to the outside world,” she said.
“She is so resilient, she has taught me a lot, she has such a beautiful temperament, she is very patient.”
In recognition of Ms Rea’s nights spent in hospital recliners The Daily Telegraph will provide her with a $600 Endota Spa Relax package, which will include five 60-minute organic relaxation massages.
Other notable nominees for the award include Gordana Talevska, who raised her twin 25-year-old daughters Rebecca and Rosie, who both have cerebral palsy.
Inspiring mum Donna Brittain was nominated by her daughter Charmaine after she fostered her and more than 50 children in her Bidwell home.
“She is so caring she puts everyone before herself. I was a naughty child, she had to be patient with me,” Charmaine said.
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