Inaugural Recipient

Our inaugural recipient is the Hanna family of Revesby, New South Wales. Four years ago, Luke Hanna was born a healthy young tot, just like his older brother Noah and his lovely sister Sarah. But within months of his birth, Luke's condition took a downwards turn. The result was many weeks in Sydney Children's Hospital, where his parents, Mandy and Tad, spent many a tearful night taking shifts at his side, then running home to ferry Noah and Sarah around to school, scouts and soccer, just as they had always done before Luke came along.

Four years later, life for Luke's parents has become a constant vigil of running the rounds of his various appointments – from physical therapists, paediatricians, speech pathologists, and most recently, sight therapists, in an effort to combat the ongoing effects of epilepsy, and cerebral difficulties which have rendered every stage of his development impossibly difficult. At the drop of a hanky his immune system sends him spiralling back to Westmead, his little life hanging on a thread.

In the meantime, his parents have lived without a moments' rest in the years since his condition began. Their own needs, such as medical checkups, haircuts, exercise, or just plain time out, have become a thing of the past. Ordinary childhood attention for his siblings has also become incredibly difficult. When Mr Hanna was asked what could be done to help his exhausted wife, his response was simple and characteristically humorous: "Nothing – unless she had a wife – and that's not going to happen!" It is indeed a testament of the family's strength and commitment, when they can still make room for laughter in such circumstances.

Funds generated from the inaugural Liberty Artbank exhibition will be used to send domestic angels around to visit the Hanna family and do anything that can help out just a little, whether that means mopping the floor, driving the kids to school, folding the washing, or preparing meals.

It's not a solution to their situation, but it is a small liberty which may just provide enough respite to make the Hanna family's progress through Luke's next challenge a little easier.