Gary Ablett Jr and his wife Jordan have celebrated their son Levi’s 7th birthday in style.
The AFL WAG, 33, and the footballer, 41, shared a series of sweet images of the tot alongside a moving caption this week.
‘Happy 7th (!!!) birthday to our beautiful and handsome Levi,’ the caption read.
‘What a blessing you are to so many and definitely to this family. We love you little man!’
The carousel of photos showed Levi enjoying time with his family and receiving lots of cuddles from his proud parents.
Last year, the couple opened up for the first time about the rare degenerative disorder that their son is currently struggling with.
Gary Ablett Jr and his wife Jordan (pictured) have celebrated their son Levi’s 7th birthday in style. The AFL WAG, 33, and the footballer, 41, shared a series of sweet images of the tot (pictured) alongside a moving caption this week
‘Happy 7th (!!!) birthday to our beautiful and handsome Levi,’ the caption read
Jordan had kept Levi’s medical diagnosis under wraps as she learned to ‘process’ his heartbreaking condition, but revealed in VWeekend that he is ready to talk about it.
She said Levi was diagnosed with Menkes, a rare recessive disorder that affects copper metabolism, leading to neurodegeneration, connective tissue problems and short life expectancy.
‘It was shocking… of course it was hard to first accept,’ Jordan said of the diagnosis they received from his doctors in May 2020, adding the medication he is currently on will only ‘slow the progression’.
‘I know we are blessed and I know that when those hard days come, and they do, it’s so important to not give into the emotions that follow and let them dictate your day and take away from the gift that it is,’ she continued.
‘I always knew deep down that I would eventually be open and transparent about it… I don’t know what good can possibly come from not being that.’
According to The Menkes Foundation, Menkes is a recessive disease linked to the X chromosome and is caused by gene mutations of the copper transporter ATP7A.
The condition is characterised by distinctive clinical features, including sparse and de-pigmented hair, and connective tissue problems.
Symptoms also include severe neurological issues such as seizures, hypotonia, failure to thrive, and neurodevelopmental delays.
The carousel of photos showed Levi enjoying time with his family and receiving lots of cuddles from his proud parents
Last year, the couple opened up for the first time about the rare degenerative disorder that their son is currently struggling with. Gary is pictured with his son
Mortality is high in untreated Menkes disease, with many patients dying before the age of three.
There is currently no complete cure for the disorder, but patients who are treated with parenteral copper histidinate (CuHis) can increase survival and lessen neurological symptoms if initiated early.
Jordan discussed the challenges of raising a child with a disability in her memoir One Day At A Time, which was published last year.
‘I can’t begin to explain how special this feels for me, and for my family, who have journeyed all of life’s highs and lows with me, feeling every single bump and joy along the way,’ she said of the book.
‘There have been plenty of tears cried while writing this book, both happy and sad tears, but being able to share my story, and hopefully encourage others, has made all “the feels” worth it.
‘I hope that by reading my story, parents of children with a disability will feel less alone, more capable, and will, if they don’t already, look at their child through a different lens, seeing them as what they are, a genuine treasure!’
