The Good Friday Appeal has always been a cause close to the hearts of CFA volunteers.
But for one firefighter and his family, the connection is even more intimate this year.
Epping Fire Brigade volunteer Rohan Stevens has been a firefighter for 30 years.
He and his wife, Misty, never imagined they would one day need to rely on the services of the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) to save their son’s life.
Their son, Jack, now six, is the face of the 2025 Good Friday Appeal.
When he was just 14-months-old, Jack began to experience seizures and lose his speech.
“I remember thinking as a parent, ‘everything is going to be okay; it’s going to be alright,” Misty said.
That hope was shattered when doctors diagnosed Jack with a brain tumour wrapped around a section of his brain responsible for learning and development.
Jack was admitted to the RCH, where he spent weeks undergoing testing and monitoring.
Just before his second birthday, he underwent surgery to remove the tumour.
Now in grade one, Jack continues to attend regular appointments at the hospital.
“That is what saved Jack’s life,” Rohan said.
And he is now urging the community to dig deep into their pockets for this year’s Good Friday Appeal.
“Donate as much as you can so we can see more success stories like Jack’s, ” he said.
“Here at CFA, we hear that call to action and throw our weight behind the Good Friday Appeal.”
As for Jack, he may not remember much about his early years in the hospital, but he said he wants to be a firefighter one day in the future.
“Just like daddy.”
