Our stories

Hemi Hero: Malu

It was just days after Christmas in 2019 when one-year-old Malu began exhibiting unusual behaviours – that to his family, first looked like the signs of an overtired baby. The extended family had gathered to celebrate, the day after boxing day, when baby Malu appeared to...

Hemi Hero: Paige

Born in 2014, Paige was a bright eyed and active baby beloved by her older brother Byron and mother Kelly. It was when she was just five-month-olds when Paige began to heavily favour her left hand when grasping for her favourite toys. “It was more than...

Hemi Hero: Oliver

Oliver, born in 2016, was just eight weeks old when his mother Lisa first noticed concerning symptoms in her new baby. Hard to detect at first, Oliver began suffering short breath-holding spells that increased in frequency as he grew. “He would hold his breath as a baby...

Hemi Hero: Thomas

Thomas had a stroke in utero 24-48 hours prior to birth resulting in left hemiplegic cerebral palsy, and epilepsy onset at age four....

Hemi Hero: Indi

When Indi was just three days old, we were told she had suffered a stroke (we later found out that this occurred sometime in the third trimester)...

Hemi Hero: Shakaia

Who would ever have thought that someone could function off half a brain! I would never have thought it would be possible nor would I have ever thought that I would have a child that would go through numerous brain surgeries and the outcome be...

Hemi Hero: Gianni

Gianni was born in Melbourne on May 28, 1998, with impressively sized hands and feet. We were told he’d be a six-footer, for sure. A full-term bub, he weighed 8lbs 8oz but at a very long 58cm, he looked like a 10-pounder who hadn’t filled out. As...

Hemi Hero: Rory

Rory is a bright and cheerful 17 year old boy who lives in Camden NSW with his family. He is an only child. Rory had a left anatomical hemi in February 2001 to cure Rasmussen’s Encephalitis and he is now doing remarkably well. At age 4...

Hemi Hero: Freya

It was a beach holiday in 2005 when life for our family changed irrevocably.  We had left Melbourne for Byron Bay with our two young daughters, Freya aged six and Ella aged three.  Both girls were in, and always had been in great health. Freya had just started...

Hemi Hero: Georgia

Georgia began life as a normal, cheeky and sporty little girl.  There was no activity that she wouldn’t want to try.  Her special loves were swimming and soccer.  At the age of 7, two weeks after she had been knocked out by an over ambitious soccer boot mistaking...

Hemi Hero: Gemma

Gemma was a healthy, happy five year old in 2004 attending pre-school 3 days a week and very much looking forward to “big school” the following year.  At work I received a phone call from the preschool teacher saying that Gemma had fallen off a chair...

Hemi Hero: Aaron

October 2012 Aaron  aged 14 years and 11 months had a left anatomical  hemisphectomy as the only treatment for the debilitating and rare neurological disease called Rasmussen’s Encephalitis (RE).  T here was little to no indication in 2006 that things were going to change for Aaron; he was...

Hemi Hero: Max

Max is our gorgeous little boy, now 4, and together with his twin brother Flynn terrorises the neighbourhood as only little boys can, where we live in Brisbane, Qld. Max had a left hemispherectomy in March 2010 when he was 10 months old due to...

Hemi Hero: Karley

Karley was born in Queanbeyan NSW on 21st April 1998 by caesarean section.  At 11weeks old I noticed her face seemed to be asymmetric.  I was a little concerned that something didn’t seemed right. Could it be a possible allergic reaction or spider bite?  After...

Hemi Hero: Alicia

We live in Lake Macquarie area, near Newcastle NSW and have 2 boys aged 19 and 20 and Alicia who is 13. Our beautiful daughter was born in 2000 with Erbs Palsy of the left arm and at 3 mths old she was diagnosed with...