mmg.com.au

Last Friday marked an important milestone in the young life of Kyabram toddler Charlotte Pegoraro.

It was exactly a year ago, February 3, 2011, that Charlotte had a life-saving liver transplant at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Seeing her walking around the front room of the family’s new Kyabram home, playing happily and saying a few words, was a wonderful sight knowing just a small amount of what Charlotte, her parents Carlee and Damian, and sister Lily have gone through to get this far.

During Charlotte’s four-week check-up following her birth, a nurse noticed something was not quite right.

Tests showed she had biliary atresia, a rare life-threatening disease where sufferers are missing a bile duct between the liver and small intestine.

It meant her bile could not move anywhere and would gradually destroy her liver.

‘‘Prior to the transplant she had no appetite, she couldn’t sit up or roll over and didn’t sleep well at all,’’ Carlee said.

‘‘Now she’s walking, climbing, playing, eating and starting to talk, and she even went swimming for the first time last weekend.

‘‘She’s happier all round and is able to do most things any other child her age does, and I think Charlotte and Lily enjoy having each other to play with now, even though they have their moments.’’

Carlee and Damian still have to keep a close eye on Charlotte’s temperature, for any sign of infection, and although she had her first post-transplant Christmas at home, she spent new year in hospital due to an infection.

With boxes still to unpack in their new home, and a third child due to arrive this Friday, life in the Pegoraro household is still quite hectic.

However, the family is looking forward to enjoying a bit more of a normal family life in 2012.

‘‘The last year has been full of ups and downs but things are a bit more settled now,’’ Carlee said.

‘‘We’re just really thankful Charlotte is here with us and enjoying a good quality of life.

‘‘We’d like to thank the whole community for all the support we’ve been shown.

‘‘Our family and friends have been great and the support from the local community has been overwhelming.’’

Charlotte will be two years old on Anzac Day, another major milestone for a gutsy little girl with a big happy smile.