AIMEE and Arnold Turnbull are not doing it alone.
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The old saying that it takes a community to raise a child rang true in the Camden Haven today (October 27) at the annual Camden Haven Charity Touch day.
This year, the special guest of honour was their little boy Rory.
Run for Rory kicked off early on Sunday morning at the Laurieton oval with 16 touch football teams from across the region coming together for a day of on-field camaraderie for a good cause.
For Aimee, the show of support for their little man, who has struggled with a lung condition since birth, was overwhelming.
"This really is amazing," Aimee said. "There are people here we don't even know, it's just beautiful."
Rory has had multiple viral infections, been on numerous trips to hospital, he is on and off steroids and a constantly on a long list of antibiotics.
At a routine specialist appointment in June, Aimee and Arnold were informed Rory would require airway reconstruction surgery.
This was due to recurring issues and failed attempts to widen his airways. The operation is scheduled for November.
Aimee said Rory's airways are roughly a third of the size of what a normal healthy child's airway should be. When Rory is sick this is reduced by only a third of that again.
He now has a tracheal tube to help him breathe. However it has taken his speech and any form of verbal communication away, which means there is no sound when he is in distress.
The family has to make regular trips to Newcastle to ensure Rory receives the specialist care he needs.
There is a slight chance the reconstruction might not be successful, but Aimee and Arnold are hopeful that won't be the case for Rory.
The best outcome from the surgery is that Rory will have a safe patent airway.
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