AT just 19 months old, Zac Robinson has faced more challenges than most of us.
Zac has a rare immune deficiency, Hyper IgM Syndrome, which doesn't allow his little body to fight infection.
He is often sick and in need of hospitalisation.
He regularly suffers from mouth ulcers that get so sore Zac is unable to eat, causing him to lose weight, and he is now fed with the aid of a tube.
His mother Karen Robinson said Zac was 11 months old when he was diagnosed with the illness.
He is in desperate need of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant to restore his failing immune system.
“He would eventually pick up a really serious infection he couldn't fight and it would be terminal,” she said.
“He doesn't respond to the treatment he's on at the moment. They initially said he wouldn’t need a bone marrow transplant until he was six years old.
“They said for him it wouldn't be long before he picked up a serious infection.”
For Karen, Zac's father Dean, sister Shannon, 9, and brother Will, 5, it has been a difficult eight months since he was diagnosed.
“It's been hard and life-challenging, and we've all had to come to terms with a child who's not well," Mrs Robinson said.
However hope may be on the horizon.
A compatible registered bone marrow donor has been found in the United Kingdom and authorities are contacting him to see if he will help young Zac.
With costly medical procedures in Sydney looming, the family are seeking community assistance at an upcoming fundraiser.
Robin Hood Hotel owner Warwick Marshall has organised a fundraiser on Sunday, September 16, to help the family.
The event will kick off at noon and include lunch, beer, wine and soft drinks along with raffles and a jumping castle for the children.
Tickets cost $70 for adults, $20 for children aged 13 to 1, while children under 12 are admitted free.
Tickets can be purchased through the hotel or on the day.
nadine.morton@ruralpress.com
