A Dublin family is pleading with the Australian government to let them stay in the country so their toddler son can get treatment for a life-threatening illness.
Balbriggan native Christine Hyde lives in Seymour, Victoria with her husband and three-year-old son Darragh.
The couple applied to become permanent residents shortly before the tot's birth in Australia on 18 August 2015.
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Sadly, little Darragh was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis a few weeks after he was born.
Christine said: "Our family’s application for permanent residency was then refused by the Australian Department of Home Affairs because they assessed him as having a condition which make him a burden on the Australian community."
The stricken assistant school principal has appealed the decision to the Administrative Review Tribunal, however the body does not have the power to overturn the health assessment.
Their only hope now is to appeal directly to David Coleman, the Australian Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to reverse the cruel decision.
Christine said: "Unless the Hon David Coleman MP, Hon Peter Dutton MP or Senator Linda Reynolds can help us, we will be forced to leave our friends, family, and the life we have built for ourselves in Australia.
The brave mum has set up petition on change.org and is hoping to collect 1,000 signatures to send to the MP.
She wrote: "Darragh has been doing extremely well considering his condition, and we have positive letters from his doctors and specialist stating that he should live a full life and that his disease progression will be much slower than average.
"His condition has no effect on his cognitive ability and should he wish to finish school and go to University, he has every chance at being successful in a career path of his choosing.
"Darragh is a bright boy with a positive future ahead of him.
She added: "We have always felt extremely grateful to live in Australia. I studied here gaining my Masters in Special Education.
We have been living in Australia for almost 10 years and have a strong support network here with our friends and family and we are well settled in regional Victoria.
Darragh has the support of his family, our large support network in Seymour and the wider Australian community.
You can sign the petition for Darragh here.
