Mayoral Community Award nominations: Melissa is a mum on a mission

Her son Jakob has an extremely rare genetic condition called Distal 5q Deletion Syndrome. He is one of 11 people in the world with the condition and it means that although he is 15 years old, his mental age is about 18 months.

Jakob has had between 25 to 30 operations since he was born, from head to toe including three open heart surgeries and a skull reconstruction.

It is far from what a mother expects to deal with when she has a child, but Melissa says her boy is a miracle.

“We spent the first four months in hospital, unsure if he would live or die. We were told he wouldn’t walk but he can. Recently he has stopped using a feeding tube and is eating proper food.

“He really has defied the odds.”

When Jakob was 2, Melissa found herself needing support from people who would understand what she was dealing with. So, she took matters into her own hands and set up the Parents of Special Needs Children Taupō group on Facebook.

The group now has 196 members on Facebook and meets regularly for meals and activities.

“It’s so nice to be around other people who understand,” Melissa says.

“If you’re having a tough day, you don’t have to explain it to them, they just get it. It really hit me when one of the other mums thanked me for setting up the group. She said she had to give up her career to care for her kids but now she had something to look forward to.

“It makes my heart so happy to see all these families come together, connect, and support each other.”

The person who nominated Melissa for a Mayoral Community Award said despite any challenges that Melissa faced raising a child with additional needs, she had gone above and beyond to promote a support group that is welcoming to all.

“Our group has grown considerably and when we have connection time either as a meal out or events like a quiz night, they are met with great attendance. The time spent together brings much laughter and a chance to let down the guards we each put in place as a parent of a child with additional needs,” the nomination said.

Nominations for the Mayoral Community Awards are open until 5pm on Friday 11 August. The successful nominees will be presented with their awards at a ceremony on Friday 18 August at 10.30am at the Great Lake Centre.

For more information or to nominate someone who you think is making a positive difference in the Taupō District, head to www.taupo.govt.nz/awards.

Find the Parents of Special Needs Children Taupō Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/331026420307005