Fundraiser hopes to tick Disney World off sick Dublin boy’s (9) ‘wish list’

Nine-year-old Izaiah Staunton was born with hyperplastic left heart syndrome, a condition where one of the heart’s ventricles is much smaller than usual, and is receiving palliative care at Crumlin Children’s Hospital and LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

He also suffers from hypoglycaemia and malignant hyperpyrexia syndrome, which can be triggered by anaesthetic.

Izaiah has undergone several procedures in his short life, including “countless” cardiac catheterisations, balloon atrial septostomy, and left arm repair.

According to his mum Jennifer, the youngster has a host of big dreams that he’d like to tick off his bucket list – which the family have coined ‘Izzy’s wish list’.

The items on the list include going on a trip to Disney World in Florida, visiting an aquarium, driving in a race car, going on a sailboat, opening a shop to sell Prime drinks, visiting Legoland, and going to a wildlife park.

A GoFundMe page was launched last week to raise funds to go towards completing some of the goals on Izaiah’s wish list as well as paying for the family to travel to England “to get a second opinion” on his treatment.

In the fundraiser’s bio, Izaiah is described as the “happiest boy you will ever meet”.

“He’s quite sick but he never lets it get him down. He goes around singing at the top of his lungs daily, he loves playing outside and making the most of his time with his family, he always has a big smile on his face especially when he meets new people,” his mum wrote.

She added that the family are all “devastated beyond belief” that the nine-year-old is now receiving palliative care as she explained why they set up the GoFundMe appeal.

"We are doing a GoFundMe to firstly get another opinion and secondly to make his wishes come true before he’s not well enough to do them with his family, especially his brothers and sisters.

“I, as Izaiah’s mum, want all his dreams to come true. He’s been through so much in his short life and it’s hard daily for him being on oxygen, getting all his meds his daily injections, (and) among everything else he needs wheelchair now.

“He’s been placed in palliative care as his right pump in his heart has failed more and we went for a meeting for a heart transplant but were told it's really not likely as he won't get on the list due to pulmonary pressure among other complications, so we want to make his wishes come true to keep that beautiful smile on Izaiah’s face.”

More than 200 donations have been made in the last seven days, raising €4,560.

Those who wish to contribute to the fundraiser can visit the Izaiah’s Wish List GoFundMe page here.