FACES OF THE APPEAL

Arlo and Aru, our Little Ambassadors, played a vital role in supporting the 2023 Good Friday Appeal by generously sharing their stories and time before and during the event. We extend our gratitude to them and their families for their significant contribution.

Both Aru and Arlo needed life-saving heart surgery and treatment from The Royal Children’s Hospital cardiology team.

At just two years old, Arlo is sweet and social, radiating confidence and a cheeky sense of humour—by looking at him, you would never know that he was born with half a heart.

With an extremely rare condition called hypoplastic right heart syndrome together with five other heart defects, Arlo’s cardiac diagnosis is described as complex resulting in six major surgeries in his short life.

Arlo will forever need lifelong cardiology care, but with all things going to plan, this procedure will enable Arlo to have an improved blood circulation allowing him to lead a long and healthy life.

Thank you to Arlo, his sister Analita, and his parents Bronte and Romi for sharing their journey and providing incredible support this year.

Aru is six years old and a bundle of joy and happiness, thanks to a life-saving heart transplant. She is now receiving treatment for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) for the third time after her most recent relapse late last year.

Throughout her young life, Aru has had a long journey with the RCH, with help along the way from many specialists and departments. As her parents say, “without the RCH our little warrior wouldn’t have been with us today”.

Thank you to Aru and her parents Smital and Kiran for their wonderful contribution to the Good Friday Appeal in 2023.