In a tiny one-room home in central Jakarta, a young girl celebrates a very special 5th birthday. On this happy day, little Diana* is surrounded by several generations of her family and some of the nurses from Rachel House; cuddling her new friend with joy and glee – a giant pink Hello Kitty that is almost as big as she is. It is a wonderfully happy celebration for Diana, and for all who have worked hard to get Diana to this day.
Diana has been living with a serious illness since she was born. Plagued with chronic diarrhea, severe malnutrition and grave symptoms that threatened her life. Every single day with a smile on her face is a day of celebration.
For many years her parents have struggled to care for her in the midst of their own personal challenges. With her parents rarely present at home, doctor’s instructions on the best care for Diana were often ignored causing her health to continue to deteriorate.
When Diana was referred to Rachel House six months ago, her challenging family circumstances were highlighted by her primary doctor as the main factor for treatment failure. Dadan, Rachel House’s nurse assigned to care for her, was determined to not only stabilise Diana’s condition, but also to help her parents provide better care for their daughter into the future.
At first, this was not an easy task. However, with Dadan’s patient guidance and encouragement, Diana’s mother has learned to prioritize Diana’s health in their lives. She now ensures the availability of healthy and nutritious meals for Diana, the discipline administering of Diana’s medicines, and prioritise the regular visits to the doctor.
Now that her health is improving, Diana’s appetite has also returned with awesome vengeance. She has developed into a ‘milkaholic’, drinking almost one litre of milk a day! In this, the family is grateful for the loving support of Rachel House’s faithful donors. Diana’s mother also makes certain that she eats her (big bowl) rice, meatballs and a banana daily.
Diana is now learning to say one or two words, as well as beginning to crawl. She is wonderfully engaging when somebody talks to her, mumbling the few words in her repertoire and trying her very best to communicate.
Knowing that Diana is a huge fan of Hello Kitty, on this special day of her 5th birthday, Dadan and a few of Rachel House’s team came bearing a beautiful Hello Kitty cake (baked lovingly by our faithful and generous friend, Tiar), and a giant Hello Kitty doll that brought lots of smiles and happiness to this precious little girl.
As a child living with a serious illness, and in a family where putting food on the table is a real challenge, Diana will continue to need constant care and attention. But with the Rachel House team, and our incredibly generous donors, walking by her side to support her and her family, she now has the support she needs.
Will you help us support more children like Diana living with serious illnesses, and their families, to live pain-free and with joy? Donate here.
*not her real name
