Family face
The Padfield family, Jamie, Tamara, Charlotte (8), Emma (5) and Isabel (2) the ‘Family Face’ of the 2011 Piggy Bank Appeal.
Sadly, Charlotte died at Very Special Kids House on 22 September, 2011.
We will continue to provide support for Jamie, Tamara and their family. Our thoughts are with them during this extremely difficult time.
“We know that we’ve got to be strong for Charlotte which can be really difficult because we don’t know what she’s going to need. Thankfully Very Special Kids is there for us. You can help ensure Very Special Kids is there for other families too by donating to the 2011 Piggy Bank Appeal.” —Jamie and Tamara Padfield
Jamie and Tamara Padfield experienced the excitement and joy of being first time parents until at just 8 weeks of age they noticed their daughter, Charlotte, wasn’t responding in the way a newborn is expected to, that’s when their world started to crumble.
At first they were told their daughter had a ‘developmental delay'. "To us that meant she was just delayed and that she would catch up. It really hit me when we had our first appointment with the metabolic specialist when Charlotte was 7 months. I remember it clearly, we asked him will she ever be able to sit up or drink from a cup and he said he had his doubts that she would ever be able to do that. At the time we were on the 10th floor of the Royal Children’s Hospital and I remember thinking I could jump out that window,” Tamara said.
The doctors have been able to determine that Charlotte has severe developmental disability suggestive of a metabolic disorder however so far her actual condition remains undiagnosed. Charlotte is severely disabled, she has no muscle control, can’t walk, talk, sit up or even smile. Charlotte’s prognosis is poor, Jamie and Tamara have been told by doctor’s that it’s unlikely she will reach the age of 10.
Tamara explains, “We just cope a day at a time especially because we don’t have a clear diagnosis to help give us some indication as to what to expect. We just have to deal with each problem as it arises.”
Tamara and Jamie took a big gamble in deciding to have more children. “We went through genetic counseling but because we didn’t have a firm diagnosis we were given either a one in four chance of our next child having the same condition or one in a million. There was no yes or no answer and we didn’t want to go through life wondering ‘what if’,” Ja
mie said. Thankfully, Emma and Isabel do not share Charlotte’s condition.
The Padfield family has been supported by Very Special Kids since 2005 and regularly access a number of services. Charlotte has stayed at Very Special Kids House several times. They have been linked with their trained Family Support Volunteer, Moira, since 2007. Tamara also attends Parent Coffee Mornings, which she has found extremely beneficial. “Spending time with mums who have similar issues to me, helps you realise that you’re not the only one doing it tough and I continue to learn so much from them,” Tamara said.
Jamie said it took them a while to start using the House, “It took us a long time to even visit the House because in our minds, Charlotte is our child, so it’s our issues and she is our responsibility. It was mainly for Isabel and Emma’s sake that we eventually looked into the possibility of respite because 
we can’t even go to the beach with the 3 girls."
Both Jamie and Tamara agree Moira their volunteer has beena great help.“Moira has been amazing. So is being able to access Very Special Kids House where Charlotte can have her own holiday and get the care she needs while being looked after by the warm caring staff. It also means we can do things that we can’t normally do as a family.”
Tamara and Jamie face constant concerns about the future. “The physical challenge is going to be even greater in the future as she gets bigger. We do worry about losing Charlotte. Every time she gets sick you think maybe she won’t recover.”
