Neighbours open trust fund to bring sick child home

Dawn Irwin and Christopher Colbert have started a trust account to buy a special bed that would allow five-year-old Isaac Waterman to come home.

Isaac was born with Pierre Robin Syndrome, a congenital condition of facial abnormalities that make feeding and breathing difficult. He requires a tracheostomy tube for breathing through his throat and a feeding tube.

"The little fellow was born with a lot of birth defects and has been in the hospital more than he's been out," Irwin said.

She and Colbert want to raise $15,000 to buy a special medical bed that is needed to allow Isaac to come home permanently from Bloorview Kids Rehab, where he has spent much of the last three-and-a-half years of his life.

She explained that some neighbours were talking about what they could do to help the family and decided this was a good way.

"We just talked about it and we thought we could give it a try to see what happens," Irwin said.

They spoke with the parents, Chad and Sheri Waterman, and they were appreciative that their neighbours wanted to help. Their insurance wouldn't cover the bed, and with a newborn daughter the cost is too much for the family to cover.

Irwin has known the Watermans for years. She remembers seeing Isaac when he was first brought home from the hospital as a newborn.

"He's a lovely little boy," she said.

She wanted to do whatever she could to help him and his family.

"My children are healthy. I hate seeing kids have to suffer and you can see the parents are having a difficult time," she said. "I would do anything for anybody, especially when it comes to little kids."

The neighbours have raised some money so far, but much more is needed to help Isaac. The account has been set up at Canada Trust. The account number is 1029 6386792.