Territory family helping to save lives after heartbreaking loss of young Skylar

WHILE most parents, facing the heartbreaking loss of a child, might shy away from the spotlight, the Lawrence family has taken their campaign nationally

CDC community physician Charles Douglas holds the new immunization poster with parents Ash and Sally Lawrence who have been strong advocates of the Meningococcal B vaccine after losing their young daughter Skylar. Picture: Justin Kennedy

SINCE losing their two-year-old daughter Skylar in October last year, Ash and Sally Lawrence have been busily campaigning for the B vaccine to be included on the National Immunisation Program. Ash and Sally are bravely sharing their story so nobody else has to lose a child to the insidious B strain of the meningococcal bacterial infection.

Ash and Sally, who are raising Skylar’s twin Rhainer, now 3, and Navaro, now 5, didn’t know about the men B vaccine until after their lost their daughter.

“We didn’t know there were other strains of meningococcal (before Skylar died),” Sally said. “So just having that information can be really important … it does get a bit overwhelming.”

Twins Rhainer and Skylar Lawrence enjoying a tea party. Pic: Supplied

In June, South Australian babies and young people will be the first in the nation to receive free meningococcal B vaccinations through a newly funded state program.

A few months ago, brave Ash and Sally flew to Canberra to share their story with Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt.

They are calling on him to include the men B vaccine in the national schedule.

It’s a slow going for the Federal Government, with pharmaceutical company JSP still needing to pass a lengthy vetting process before the drug is included on the national program. Hopefully this will happen sooner than the Lawrence family expect.

While most parents, facing the heartbreaking loss of a child, might shy away from the spotlight, the Lawrence family has taken their campaign nationally.

Yesterday, they helped launch the new ‘HALO’ initiative — an information chart to help Territory parents access up-to-date vaccination information.

Hopefully, their campaign will help parents be aware of some of the options out there — and maybe save a few lives.