Five years after losing their young daughter to a 'silent killer', a Northern Territory family is speaking about their heartbreak in a bid to raise awareness for a deadly disease that claimed another life last week.
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Skylar Lawrence was only 33 months old when a meningococcal infection ended her young life.
Only last week, another young man died of meningococcal in the Northern Territory, prompting the NT Health Department to issue a public health warning. And in Queensland, last week a child became the third person diagnosed with the disease linked to an outbreak at the bungled Splendour in the Grass music event.
For the Lawrence family, the heartbreak of losing their daughter to the disease will never end - but by sharing the story of their loss they are hoping to save other families from having to go through a similar heartbreaking ordeal.
In October 2017, Sally Lawrence and her husband Ash were holidaying in Katherine in the Northern Territory, sharing the beauty of the Big River Region with their three young children Navaro, who was four-and-a-half years at the time, and identical twins Skylar and Rhainer, aged 33 months.
"Skylar was a beautiful girl with a heart of gold," Mrs Lawrence said.
"She loved everyone around her. Skylar's smile, energy and laugh would light up a room.
"We knew from a very early age she would have a big future in front of her."
But this future was taken away on October 15, 2017.
"We woke up at Katherine Gorge on a mini family holiday.
"The kids were climbing up on the bunk beds and running amok before breakfast, then we packed the car ready to head back home to Darwin.
"But before we left Katherine Gorge we decided to go do a 900 metre walk up to a lookout overlooking the gorge.
"The kids did a great job walking up to the lookout and we captured some great photos."
Little did the parents know that these would be the last holiday photos of their daughter Skylar and of all of them together as a family of five.
On the 300km drive from Katherine to Darwin, the Lawrence children fell asleep in the car and their mother remembers that little Skylar was restless in her car seat.
The family stopped at Adelaide River for lunch, but Skylar wasn't hungry and didn't eat anything.
Upon arrival in Darwin mid-afternoon that day, the little girl seemed tired, so her parents let her rest on the couch with a movie, while her other siblings enjoyed ice cream cake for their dog's birthday.
Mrs Lawrence said later in the afternoon Skylar's temperature spiked to 39.1 and she gave her Panadol and put her in a cool bath with a zooper dooper.
But while the temperature came down after the bath, the toddler developed diarrhoea and started vomiting.
"That's when we noticed three bloody bruises that had just developed," Mrs Lawrence said.
"She had one on the left side of her groin and one on the left side of her bum and one on her neck.
"We were immediately alarmed."
A hurried trip to Royal Darwin Hospital's Emergency Department confirmed the family's fears.
"They took one look at her tiny bruise and rushed her straight through to the resus room.
"They told us they were suspecting meningococcal and the doctors advised they would be putting Skylar in an induced coma and on a ventilator to help her breathe as she was so weak."
But the toddler's little body wasn't coping and her heart stopped.
"She was talking all the way up to when they were putting her into a coma. Saying "no more, Daddy. No more," Mr Lawrence said.
"To watch how quickly the disease took over ... it was the most horrific thing I've ever seen.
"At 11.30pm our 33-month-old beautiful princess grew her angel wings."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Just over 12 hours after wandering through the sights of Katherine's Nitmiluk Gorge and playing with her siblings, Skylar Lawrence was gone.
Within just a few hours the meningococcal B strain had taken the tiny twin's life.
"We would never have thought that this mini holiday was going to be our last as a family of five," Mrs Lawrence said.
"To fall pregnant is a gift and to go through your pregnancy and birth without any complications is also a gift.
"We were so grateful for the healthy babies that were born with ten fingers and ten toes.
"Then to lose a baby - no matter the age - no family should ever have to go through this pain.
"None of us could comprehend that Skylar was gone."
Their toddler had been taken by a disease the family knew nothing about.
"We thought we were doing everything we could to protect our kids," Mrs Lawrence said.
"One child's death is too many when we can protect them.
"We now know meningococcal disease is rare and while most survive, some may face loss.
"Meningococcal is now a part of our lives."
In a bid to prevent another family from experiencing the loss and heartbreak they had to go through, the Lawrence family has spent the past five years advocating for awareness for meningococcal and the fact that vaccines are available.
"It's heartbreaking hearing another life has been lost to this vaccine-preventable disease," Mrs Lawrence said, referring to last week's death of a 30-year-old man in Darwin.
"Growing up, the twins were inseparable and did everything together. Together they were one.
"I can see what a massive impact losing Skylar has had on her sister's personality.
"We would encourage families to educate themselves on the disease."
Meningococcal disease is caused mainly by five different strains: A, B, C, W and Y.
Some states and territories offer ACWY vaccines as part of the national immunisation program, but the B strain is still not part of the program.
While a B-strain vaccine is available, families will have to pay more than $100 in a bid to protect their loved ones.
"Meningococcal symptoms are very similar to cold and flu, that's how Skylar presented that morning," Mrs Lawrence said.
"Since losing Skylar we have been raising awareness of meningococcal and advocating to try and get the meningococcal B strain included on the national immunisation program
"This is our ultimate goal to see this included.
"But for now we will continue to raise awareness of this deadly disease."
Meanwhile, little Skylar's memory will forever live on for the Lawrence family.
"She is always present in our house," her mother said.
"We have a memory cabinet with her name and photo in it, and every morning and night, Rhainer and her brother Navaro blow kisses to the sky and say, 'we miss you Skylar'."
Annie Hesse
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
