As the devoted parents of two disabled daughters, Michael and Dee McGuire knows the challenges of caring for children with special needs.
Pippy, now aged seven, was diagnosed at birth with severe hearing loss while her one-year-old sister Gemma suffers from Peter’s anomaly, a rare congenital condition which makes the cornea cloudy.
But despite the difficulties of coping with the conditions, the Sydney parents have not let their daughters’ disabilities get in their way of enjoying life.
As the devoted parents of two disabled daughters, Michael and Dee McGuire knows the challenges of caring for children – Pippa and Gemma – with special needs
Pippy (right), now aged seven, was diagnosed at birth with severe hearing loss while her one-year-old sister Gemma (left) suffers from Peter’s anomaly, a rare congenital condition which makes the cornea cloudy
Speaking of their daughters diagnosis, the father told Sunrise: ‘I think I was more unbelieving, I was just startled with what’s happened here.’
Mrs McGuire said the family have faced heartbreaking remarks from other parents.
‘We’ve had parents come up to us and said ‘hey, your kids need to toughen up because they’re going to get that for the rest of their lives’,’ she said.
‘That’s hard… that’s what I cry about.’
But against all odds, the girls have defied expectations – as their doting parents remained positive throughout their little girls journey.
Despite facing many challenges doing everyday things, Gem has started exploring her surroundings, walking backwards and talking
Pippa (pictured) has defied expectations – taking part in sports carnivals and getting awards
‘Pip gets her karate awards, Gem does her swimming till the end of the pool,’ he said.
‘We’re in the sports carnivals… Everything happens as per everyone else. Just sometimes we’ve got to put a bit more hard work in.’
Despite facing many challenges doing everyday things, Gem has started exploring her surroundings, walking backwards and talking.
The family have found solace at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children – a Sydney organisation supporting hearing and vision impaired children.
‘I had concerns with how I was going to support Gem to reach her full potential in a predominantly visual world,’ Mrs McGuire said.
‘But having watched Pip grow into a wonderfully independent and creative person, I knew with hard work and love that everything would be okay.’