The Barrington Family Need Your Help
Here's a family who are going through the worst: a sick little girl, a sick pregnant mum and a hardworking dad who all need a break.
Taranaki
Meet the Barrington’s, Mum (Jo), Dad (John), Genevieve and a baby on the way. They need your help and support.
Meet Genevieve: A beautiful 4 year old girl, just like your daughter. Except she’s got a rare genetic disorder called MMA. She’s been into hospital probably more times than most people will in their entire lives. She gets most of her food through a PEG tube, she can’t talk and she desperately needs a new kidney. She can smile though, and she sure does! She runs and climbs and jumps. She hugs and she loves. She doesn’t know any better, or any different.
Meet John: He’s your typical dad, probably just like your dad. He’s a diesel mechanic and he can fix pretty much everything at home too. He’s the provider for the family, he can glaze the heck out of a ham and can cook a mean steak on the BBQ. He’s got enough of his own going on, but he’s always helping others too! Giving of his time, his energy and his advice.
Meet Jo: She’s that mum! She’s the mum that most of us wish we could be. She always turns up with freshly baked bikkies or home-made toys for your kids. She has a vege patch in her garden and sews her kids’ clothes. You’ve probably seen her at Countdown or at kindy or at the hospital with her daughter. She’s always smiling and she never complains, because apparently, “there’s always someone worse off”. She’s also finally 25 weeks pregnant (thanks to IVF) and believe it or not, Jo got appendicitis last night (Monday 25th September) and was rushed in to hospital to have it removed. Thankfully, Baby and mum are doing ok at this stage, but they’re keeping them in hospital to make sure that little baby stays safe and sound where he/she needs to be!
So, it’s another day off work for dad and another hospital visit for the family. This family have been through it all, they’ve been hit hard, they struggle and all the while they still smile. But perhaps we can help make things a little easier and a little better for them? Maybe this page can help buy a airplane ticket for Jo’s mum to visit from South Africa? Or perhaps some help around the house? Or a new outfit for the baby? Or perhaps just a takeout meal. Let’s just show them that we stand with them.
Samantha Horn's involvement (page creator)
We are lucky enough to be friends of the Barrington Family. While no one can understand what they've been through, we want them to know that we care and that we're here for them.
Use of funds
Funds raised will be used to help this family.
Latest update
Welcome little one x 12 January 2018
(With permission)
Little Anastasia Vivian Barrington arrived on the 28th of December, weighing 3230g... and she’s a darling! You can see in the pics below 😍
Jo had quite a tough labour after being induced (via multiple avenues) but she’s happy (exhausted but happy) to have Anastasia here healthy!
As nothing can run smoothly in the Barrington household, I was unable to see them after returning from holiday as they were in hospital with Genevieve...(she has subsequently been disacharged from hospital and readmitted again today).
I did manage to pop around for a visit last weekend and found two exhausted parents, one sleeping child (tucked away in her room), and one beautiful sleeping baby. When John and Jo told me that she screams most of the night, I struggled to believe them. She was an angel my entire visit!!
Unfortunately, baby Anastasia is also struggling to thrive and was admitted to hospital a few days ago. (Which means that the whole family is currently at Base Hospital - but in different wards). They are having feeding issues and Anastasia is struggling to regain the weight babies lose after birth and has continued to lose weight. Jo assures me that they are getting the help and advice they need in hospital. Phew! So hopefully Anastasia will turn the corner soon.
As Jo pointed out, it’s really first time parenting for them all over again. As Genevieve was in hospital for so long at the beginning of her life, they never experienced having a newborn at home. Quite a daunting and exhausting experience... especially when you add Genevieve’s care on top of that... you’ll appreciate that neither of these parents have had a full nights sleep in over 4.5 years.
In good, really good, news, without counting our chickens before they hatch... a donor is looking promising for Genevieve. They did cross match blood tests yesterday and we’re all holding fingers!! Please hold yours too!!
(With the help of the donor pool, it means that John will donate a kidney to another recipient, in the event that one becomes available for Genevieve. What I didn’t realise is that both of these operations occur within a very short time frame of each other, to essentially prevent someone (in this case John) from pulling out. While I understand that, it means that Jo will be managing two recovering family members and a newborn! Wow! So for this reason they have decided to use the money raised from this page to fly Jo’s mum Priscilla, out from South Africa when the time arises).
This page has 2.5weeks left to run, let’s see what we can do.
A happy new year to you all!
Sam
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