Our Families

Team McKenzie

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Our family has joined The Developing Foundation to help with McKenzie's needs.

Our vision for McKenzie is for her not to have to fight her movement, to be able to have control of her body to allow her to do something without our help, even if it's just one thing.

Hi, I'm Shea Jah and I’m 11 years old. I want to tell you about my little sister, McKenzie, who has just turned Three and she has a rare developmental disability.

This little girl you see here is the most beautiful, inspirational little girl you will ever meet, and she is MY little sister. I remember mum telling me I was going to be a big sister. I had wished for this for a long time. I always wanted someone I could play with tell my secrets to and even fight with. That's what siblings do. When McKenzie was born I had never seen anything so perfect. I couldn't wait for her to smile at me, put her arms up for me to pick her up, and say my name. I remember mum always saying she thought something was wrong with McKenzie but I never really understood why mum was saying this. When my sister was little she had trouble sucking and it would take hours for mum to feed her. Some nights we wouldn't eat dinner until late because mum had to try to feed McKenzie first.

As months went by mum keep taking her to the doctors to ask what was wrong with my sister and why is she not growing. Mum would come home and say the same thing. "'The doctors said not to worry she's just a little slow, she will get there." Mum took her to see a specialist I remember him being a big man with glasses and he was so nice to us. He said to mum, "There is something wrong we need to do some tests." I don't remember what the tests were but I remember McKenzie screaming when they had to do blood tests and it made me sad to hear my baby sister crying.

Mum spent a lot of time in and out of hospital with McKenzie and I was always staying at someone's house so mum could look after my sister. That was really hard for me. I would worry about her and missed being home with her. Mum took her to Hospital one time and she was gone for a long time and when she came back my sister had a tube in her nose. I thought it was to help her breathe but mum said it was to help feed her and make her grow. McKenzie always pulled the tube out because of all her movement and the doctors said she needed to have a button put in. What's that going to do? Then they explained to me what it was. It was like the tube in nose but instead it will be in her tummy.

Two years ago I took her into my class and showed all my friends what the button looked like and how we had to feed her. My class mates were really interested and asked lots of questions. That made me feel good, I was able to teach them something. No-one had ever seen anything like it before. The one thing I wanted my friends to know was that just because she is disabled doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings. She's just like us, but her body works differently.

After all the tests and different doctors mum took her to no one could tell us what has caused her condition. Mum is still working with a number of Neurologists to see if we can find the problem and a medication to help her not move so much. Because of her uncontrollable movement she can't do any of the things that I can. So finding medication is really important for her. Hopefully one day real soon we will find it. I can't imagine what it's like for her watching mum and I getting ourselves dressed, walking and talking, eating, and all those every day things we do. She watches everything we do and you can see in her eyes that she wants to do it to.

I still hope for the day that she will hold my hand and say my name. Every day I wake up and go into the lounge and give her a hug and kiss, it's upsetting because she can't hug me back, I picture going outside with her and playing around and then McKenzie falling over and counting on me to be there for her but I can only play with her where she is already safe. She doesn't need me to catch her when she falls or kiss her better when she hurts herself.

McKenzie’s Needs

Watching TV something so simple but yet not possible for her without a specialised chair, which costs $6,300.00. Then she needs a standing frame so she can stand on her feet and keep her hips in line and help strengthen her muscles. This is another $6,500.00. She also needs lots of therapy such as Physio, Occupational, and speech. All these cost around $100 a session each, mum says this will help increase the chances of her achieving milestones that she has not met.

I have a wish for my mum and that is for a hoist in the van so she can stop lifting McKenzie in and out of the car seat. Mum's always hurting her back and watching McKenzie throwing herself around I worry she is going to hurt herself and mum.

Please help my little sister have a chance to be able to be a "little like me".

How you can help

• Donate online

• Send McKenzie’s web page to your friends and family

• Become a part of Team McKenzie

• Join us for the Riverwalk event on 11 September 2011

For further information on how you can help please email my mum Sheryl at teammckenzie@live.com or call Sheryl on 0424174412 or 0755193704. You can also keep up to date and read more about McKenzie's journey on her face book page McKenzie Tamala Support Group. Any support you are able to offer is very much appreciated as it all counts.

All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and you will not receive any additional credit card charges. The Developing Foundation commits 90% of our target directly to McKenzie's expenses. The balance is used by the charity to cover administration and credit expenses.

Thank You

McKenzie's family

Team McKenzie