Words can’t express just how thankful Thomas Michell is of the wider Tamworth community for the support they’ve provided his family.
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After badly breaking his leg playing a game of rugby league in July last year, Thomas and his wife Teleah were hit with the news their daughter Imogen had Arterial Tortuosity Syndrome (ATS) – a rare genetic disorder which means she has a higher risk of strokes, heart attacks and aneurysms due to the twisting, lengthening and narrowing of her arteries.
“Mate, to be honest, it’s heartwarming how much support we’ve had with it all,” Thomas, who played for Kootingal, said.
The financial cost for Imogen’s treatment was unknown but with the help of friends – and even people they didn’t know – the Michells were able to get Imogen the help she needed.
Following two lots of heart surgery at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane, Thomas said his little trooper was doing much better. Imogen’s able to do things she wasn’t able to prior to surgery such as run around and play with sister Gabrielle.
“The pressure around her heart was at 130 per cent and now it’s around 35-40 per cent,” Thomas said.
“She was in the catastrophic category beforehand and probably in the extreme now but it’s a lot better than she was.
“Beforehand, the pressure on her heart was too high. It’d force her to pass out as her heart was failing.
“We haven’t had any [faints] since which has been good.”
No more surgeries are in Imogen’s immediate future.
The two-year-old’s next big appointment with doctors will be for an MRI scan in July next year to determine if more treatment will be needed but Thomas said “anything could happen in the meantime”.
Further down the track, a trip to America could be on the cards where research into ATS is being done.
“She’s the first one in Australia with it but they’re doing a lot of research in America and Germany about the disorder she has,” Thomas said.
When the community heard of the Michells’ situation, the response was instantaneous. A Go Fund Me page was set up by Hannah Bewley, Aimee Grills and Shelley Frazier which has raised $21,302.
Other support has also flooded in. The Men of League foundation presented the family with two $250 food vouchers which was just one of many acts of kindness towards the Michells. Thomas sent out a huge thank you to anyone who’s helped him and his family out.
“We don’t know how we would have done it without the help,” Thomas said. “We just want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for this.”
