The world changed in the blink of an eye for the Kerr family after six year-old Mia was injured in a serious car accident in March.
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She was left with severe brain injuries and was put into an induced coma followed by a major surgery, which saved her life.
Mia is still at Westmead Children's Hospital and will be for a few months for ongoing treatment and physiotherapy, according to her aunt Sarah Kerr.
"My family went from living in the serenity of our Sunny Corner Sanctuary home caring for rescued animals to sitting in a hospital room," Ms Kerr said.
She said, while Mia has proved strong-willed, the long battle to recovery was not going to be an easy one.
"Mia is improving every single day, she has started rehab and is learning to move her body again because she hasn't been able to move it for so long.
"It's a very slow process but every day there's an improvement, small but huge for everyone around her," she said.
Ms Kerr said, with the stress that has swallowed the family, there had also been strain on the sanctuary.
"Mia made us laugh so much, but since the accident it has left a huge hole in our family and on the property for so many reasons," she said.
She said she never realised how much help it was having her sister Jess [Mia's mum] on the property to help run things.
"My husband and I are doing everything ourselves, we both have work and we have had to juggle so much, we miss Mia running around, we wish they could all come home," she said.
Ms Kerr said Mia loved all of the animals at the sanctuary.
"We want her to see the same animals here that she fell in love with and we've been lucky to have some really wonderful people in our lives help us with great donations and if we didn't have that help we would have to re-home all of our animals which we really don't want to do," she said.
So far funds had been raised through a GoFundMe page for a wheelchair-accessible cubby house for when Mia comes home and has also helped with feeding the animals, vet bills and maintenance on the sanctuary.
"The donations have been a huge help as we have been able to buy hay and pay in advance for a few more bales, food for our guinea pigs and rabbits because it's harder to grow our own with the cold weather and we've also purchased a new enclosed bed and heat mat for the cats," Ms Kerr said.
She said Mia deserved to come home to something amazing and she knew her niece would love seeing her animals and a cubby house.
"We never thought such a small town could make such a huge difference in our lives, but it has and we will be forever grateful for that," she said.
To continue help raise funds and bring Mia home, a fundraising event will be held at the Coronation Hotel Portland on Sunday, May 19.
The event will commence at 1pm with a major raffle prize to be drawn at 3.30pm.
Raffle tickets can be purchased from Portland pharmacy, news agency and post office.
There will also be plenty of games for the kids and a sausage sizzle.
People can also donate through the Mia's welcome home present GoFundMe page.
Alanna Tomazin
Alanna is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on education. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Alanna is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on education. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
