When two-year-old Caydence Rewi was diagnosed with a severe neurodevelopmental impairment called CDKL5 late last year, she was forced to spend a lot of time away from her loved ones. To give her a chance to make up for lost time, Satan’s Little Helper (SLH) organised a trip to Splash Planet for the family.
CDKL5, which stands for cyclin-dependant kinase-like 5, is a rare X-chromosome linked genetic disorder that results in early onset seizures and inhibits normal brain development. Caydence is the youngest of eight sufferers in the whole New Zealand and one of only 1,000 in the world! She experienced her first seizure at eight weeks old and was initially diagnosed with epilepsy before further testing revealed her condition. “I nominated Caydence to SLH, because I really felt she and the family deserved a treat,” says Aunt Ellen Hatcher. “We spent most of last year fundraising $3,500 for Caydence to receive specialised treatment at Timmermans Therapy Clinic in Adelaide. The treatment went really well, and they now have a therapy plan in place for Caydence to continue to get stronger every day.” To celebrate the good news and reward Caydence for her bravery, Satan’s Little Helper sent the family off to enjoy a day of activities together at Splash Planet. “Caydence loves the water and it’s nice for her to have some time with her sisters. Thank you so much to SLH for this wonderful opportunity — family fun times together rarely happen for us! Now we have another great family memory to add to our album.”
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