Sold! Parents auction home to save daughter
A “little battler” living with a rare neurodegenerative disease is much closer to lifesaving treatment after her parents made the heartbreaking decision to sell their home.
Determined parents Chris and Golden Whitrod are much closer to lifesaving treatment for their five-year-old daughter after selling their Darwin home at auction.
The renovated property with two granny flats at 4 Beatrice St, Stuart Park, sold under the hammer on Thursday for $1.05m.
Proceeds from the sale will go towards funding a gene therapy drug for the Whitrods’ daughter, Tallulah Moon, who has a rare neurodegenerative disease known as Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Type 56 (SPG56).
“We’re really grateful that we got the reserve price that will help us to continue on our mission,” Mrs Whitrod said.
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The couple has moved to the Sunshine Coast with Tallulah Moon and their son, Finn, to be closer to therapists and to research they are funding through their charity, Genetic Cures for Kids.
But the sale of their Darwin home was still a tough one, especially for Mrs Whitrod who is Darwin born and bred.
“We were sitting on the coastline (on the Sunshine Coast) watching the full moon rise as the auction got underway and the hammer went down on our home,” she said.
“We shed a little tear and had a big hug and went and had a drink and dinner at one of our favourite seaside locations.”
Mrs Whitrod said while the sale was bittersweet, they were heading in a stronger direction now they had more funds to put towards the clinical trial of a gene therapy drug for their “little battler”.
“As long as we have the government support, we can get it across the line in time for Tallulah,” she said.
The couple needs $5m to commence the clinical trial of the gene therapy, which could halt the impacts of SPG56 and potentially help Tallulah Moon regain some of the skills she has already lost.
“We want to get the treatment as soon as we can to avoid things like cognitive impairment, seizures and vision impairment,” Mrs Whitrod said.
Selling agent Andrew Harding, of Ray White Darwin, said the auction attracted two registered bidders.
“There was a lot of interest and groups through in the lead up to the auction,” he said.
“In the end it sold to a local investor who saw the value in how Chris and Golden had set up the home.
“The effort they put into the property was well received by the buyer.”
Mr Harding said the auction attracted a great crowd, including friends and family of the Whitrods.
“There was an extra bit of pressure to get it sold on the day for Chris and Golden, knowing their story,” he said.
“It was really nice to get it sold for the price they wanted and now they have those funds to go towards their charity.”
To learn more about Genetic Cures for Kids or to donate visit www.ourmoonsmission.org.