Coronavirus: Melbourne boy Jahleel Marsh dies after Covid-19 delays surgery

By Jack Gramenz

news.com.au·

7 Aug, 2020 07:18 PM2 mins to read

Rebecca Marsh with her son Jahleel. Photo / Jahleel's Journey to Gene Replacement Therapy/Facebook

A Melbourne mother has shared her heartbreaking story of losing her child after the coronavirus pandemic stopped the family travelling to Poland for life-saving surgery.

Rebecca Marsh, 41, was scheduled to take her son Jahleel to Poland for surgery for gene replacement therapy to treat his Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency (AADC).

Jahleel was diagnosed at just 3 months old with the rare disorder that is known colloquially as "children's Parkinson's".

The surgery was due to take place in Poland in May after a fundraising campaign by his mother, but travel restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic meant it had to be postponed.

On August 1, Jahleel died at the age of 4, after suffering a cardiac arrest.

"We knew it was going to be today," Marsh shared in a video posted to a Facebook page charting Jahleel's journey.

Photo / Jahleel's Journey to Gene Replacement Therapy/Facebook

"We thought we might get a couple days with him, but this morning his blood pressure was going down and I knew today was going to be the day."

"He was beautiful until the end and he fought so hard."

Now the coronavirus pandemic that denied the family a chance at life-saving surgery overseas is also affecting funeral preparations.

"I'd never wish any parent to lose their child but I'd never wish for any parent to lose their child in the situation Melbourne is in at the moment," Marsh said in another video.

"It's really, really difficult trying to get stuff organised, trying to get his funeral organised. I want his life celebrated with a lot of people around us, I think he deserved that and that's what I want but obviously Covid is around and there are things in place that prevent us from doing that at the moment."

Jahleel's 11-year-old older brother Khaleed hadn't seen his brother for a week because of the Covid restrictions, but got to spend an hour with him before he died.