… this past week I had the very real privilege and pleasure to meet … and photograph … little twenty month old Tobias and his family.
The story of Tobias is heart breaking and, at the same time, miraculous and inspiring. In August 2024 at age of four months he was struck by the meningococcal disease. Within hours of the onset he had been flown from Cairns to Townsville Paediatric Hospital by helicopter, had lost both arms, both legs and twice, very nearly, his life. Paediatric surgeon Dr Harry Stalewski said he had never seen a meningococcal case so severe.
I learnt of the terrible plight and journey of Tobias from a photographer colleague and family acquaintance. A couple of weeks ago Renee Ping arranged an introduction to little Tobias and his delightful mother Katie to discuss the possibility of documenting the heart-rending story. After conferring with husband Steven the couple came to the decision that ‘it was time’. I put them in touch with health specialist journalist Jackie Sinnerton and arranged to make the images to accompany Jackie’s eventual piece.
The ztory has now been published in today’s print edition of The Sunday Mail and also online accompanied by some of the many images I made of Tobias and his family during our photo sessions.
I was fascinated to watch and interact with Tobias to make those many images … and it was truly inspiring to see how he was developing and learning to adapt without the use of limbs. Tobias can now gently grasp a ball, can burst a bubble, loves splashing in water, can sit upright unaided … and more. Most impressive was seeing his obvious thought processes on how to try and make things work.
To say I have a huge soft spot for Tobias is a great understatement !
Mother Katie, father Steven and Tobias’s siblings Zakoa, Hunter and Baylee form a remarkable team, brilliantly guiding and nurturing their little son and brother along a most difficult path. I am in awe …
Not wanting to repeat too much of Jackie’s’ ‘words’ in todays issue, may I suggest shelling out the four dollars odd on the printed paper or catching the story, photographs and videos ‘online’ at … https://www.couriermail.com.au/health/how-cairns-baby-tobias-phineasa-survived-meningococcal-to-inspire-his-family/news-story
The top photo is the image that I am most fond of from the hundreds I made of Tobias. However, the paper preferred to go with the other pic that you may see on the screen grabs below of pages 1, 4 and 5.
Oh Yes … the family have to make frequent road trips from Cairns to Townsville for Tobias’s treatment … but their vehicle is too small for all of them. The FNQ Youth Assistance Fund is organising fund raising to finance a larger vehicle. If you can help please donate at … https://www.fnqyaf.org.au/youth-support/donations/ … by selecting ‘Wheels for Tobias’ under ‘Donation Type*’. Thanks !!
Images © Brian Cassey, publication © The Sunday Mail
