A baby struck down by meningococcal disease while on holiday with her parents in Thailand has had surgery to save her legs.
Doctors at the Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok cut away rotten skin from eight-month-old Lilliana Sheridan’s legs during a two-hour operation on Wednesday evening.
Her parents, Gold Coast residents Jai Sheridan and Elisha Robinson, said that their little girl has been ‘so strong throughout this whole thing’.
A baby struck down by meningococcal disease while on holiday with her parents in Thailand, might yet avoid having her legs amputated (Lilliana Sheridan pictured)
‘She is just living her life,’ Mr Sheridan told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
The infant picked up the infection in Phuket last week which caused deep purple marks to appear down both of her legs.
Doctors had previously feared that the infection may have reached the muscle which would mean an amputation was necessary.
However, reports today have claimed that Lilliana will ‘most likely’ have a skin graft on the front side of her right leg from her knee to her ankle.
Mr Sheridan told Daily Mail Australia that they are speaking with doctors later today for further confirmation.
‘[We] will not know for sure until they open the wound again,’ he said.
Doctors at the Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok cut away rotten skin from eight-month-old Lilliana Sheridan’s legs during a two-hour operation on Wednesday evening
Her parents, Gold Coast residents Jai Sheridan and Elisha Robinson (pictured), said that their little girl has been ‘so strong throughout this whole thing’
Lilliana’s parents had previously set-up a fundraising page on Facebook to raise the $120,000 they needed for a medevac to bring their little girl home.
Their insurance company had previously said they would only cover Lilliana’s transport to Bangkok.
In a further blow, the social media platform closed down the fundraiser shortly afterwards, and returned the $12,000 they had raised to those who had donated.
Facebook sent the mother a generic message telling her the reasons why a fundraising campaign could have been removed, but told her she would have to wait three days for a full response.
Ms Robinson told The Gold Coast Bulletin she shut down her Facebook account after her cousin began receiving abuse from social media trolls, but had no idea deleting her account would mean the fundraising page would also be closed.
Doctors had previously feared that the infection may have reached the muscle which would mean an amputation was necessary, however Lilliana will now ‘most likely’ have a skin graft
Lilliana’s parents had previously set-up a fundraising page on Facebook but this was shut down. The social media platform sent her a generic message explaining why a fundraising campaign could have been removed, but said she would have to wait 3 days for a full response
She said: ‘I am disgusted as my daughter does not have three days to wait.
‘I feel helpless all over again.’
Lilliana’s family were forced to start their efforts all over again via a GoFundMe page on Monday.
Responding to Daily Mail Australia’s request for comment, a Facebook spokesman said: ‘Our hearts go out to the family and their efforts to raise important funds for their daughter.’
But in better news, a Gold Coast medical rescue company has now offered to fly the little girl home free of charge. Medical Rescue director Glenn McKay (pictured) told the Gold Coast Bulletin on Tuesday his team were on stand-by to fly out to Thailand if needed
‘In this instance, the fundraiser was removed automatically after the personal account linked to the fundraiser was deleted.
‘We are reaching out to the family and working to rectify the situation with them.’
However, on Tuesday, Ms Robison and Mr Sheridan received a generous offer from a Gold Coast medical rescue company.
Medical Rescue director Glenn McKay told the Gold Coast Bulletin that his team were on stand-by to fly out to Thailand if needed.
It is unclear how much this would reduce costs by but Ms Robison has since told people to stop donating to the GoFundMe page.
Mr Sheridan also revealed a GP in Australia doesn’t believe their baby needs the life-changing surgery.
‘We have been in contact the whole time with Lilliana’s GP back home He said the feet were a perfectly normal colour and there was no reason to amputate the leg.’
Elisha Robinson could not even hold or touch her baby girl after she contracted the Influenza B virus.
‘I am still not able to go anywhere near my baby,’ Ms Robinson said last week. ‘I can’t even fly with her home.
‘[but] we must get her home… we will get her home no matter what.’
Mr Sheridan (pictured) also revealed a GP in Australia doesn’t believe their baby needs the life-changing surgery. ‘We have been in contact the whole time with Lilliana’s GP back home He said the feet were a perfectly normal colour and there was no reason to amputate the leg.’