Former Good Friday Appeal ambassador Malu Hunt thrives

Belmont’s Malu Hunt, a former face of the Good Friday Appeal, is thriving after undergoing life-changing complex brain surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Malu Hunt was the face of the Good Friday Appeal in 2021.

Belmont’s Malu Hunt is thriving after undergoing life-changing brain surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital when he was aged just 19 months old.

Malu, now four, was the face of the hospital’s annual fundraising campaign, the Good Friday Appeal, in 2021.

Shortly after his first birthday, Malu started having seizures, leading to tests that revealed the right hemisphere of his brain had not developed properly.

He was diagnosed with infantile spasms, a rare type of epilepsy in children, which affected his movement and speech.

Malu Hunt with Erin Hunt.

Mum Erin said he could have up to 100 spasms a day.

Malu underwent complex brain surgery known as a hemispherotomy at the Royal Children’s Hospital in July, 2020.

The procedure disconnected the right half of his brain from the left to minimise the impact of the debilitating seizures.

Part of his brain was removed.

Mrs Hunt said Malu had not had any more seizures since the operation, which was “amazing”.

Malu has frequent appointments at the Kids Plus Foundation, where he has speech, occupational and physical therapy.

“He still doesn’t use his left hand, we’re still working on it,” Mrs Hunt said.

Malu also walks with a slight limp and wears a brace to make his left leg stronger, and is vision impaired.

But he does not let his differences hold him back.

“He lives life to the fullest — it’s amazing,” Mrs Hunt said.

Malu enjoys playing soccer at Little Kickers and relished his beloved Cats winning the grand final last year.

The “social butterfly” started four-year-old kinder this year and is loving it.

Mrs Hunt will co-host a kids’ yoga event at the You Yangs on April 1 to raise money for this year’s Good Friday Appeal, after a successful event last year.

For more information visit the Charlie’s Pals Facebook page.

To donate to Malu’s fundraising campaign, visit: fundraise.goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraisers/malusmates/gfa

Originally published as Former Good Friday Appeal ambassador Malu Hunt thrives