Australian Story: Nov 14

Last year Australian Story featured Jodi and Laine Keough, who tragically lost their son after playing with a garden hose on the family’s cattle station.

In February this year they welcomed their fourth child, and returned to live on the cattle station.

This episode is introduced by SBS journalist Melissa Hamilton.

With summer fast approaching, the experience of the Keough family is a timely warning of a hidden danger that can lurk in warm, fresh waters of regional Australia.

“It’s rare but it’s deadly, and it’s something that rural Australia needs to be aware of.” Dr Robert Norton, clinical microbiologist.

Jodi Keough traded in a journalism career for love and a life on the land, never imagining she would find herself at the centre of a devastating and alarming story.

But then the unimaginable happened.

Her precious one-year-old son Cash died after playing with a garden hose on the family’s cattle station.

Jodi and her husband Laine were shocked to learn that the untreated water from the hose was carrying a rare but deadly amoeba, Naegleria fowleri.

“It causes severe inflammation, it causes brain destruction and we have no immunity to this.” Dr Greg Wiseman, paediatric intensivist

Grief-stricken, the Keogh’s first appeared on Australian Story last year in the hope that their experience would be a warning to others.

“It is exhausting reliving our story, but as temperatures soar we know the message of awareness needs to be fresh in the minds of all Australians. Since losing Cash, we are relieved that there have been no other reported cases of people dying from this in Australia, however sadly we have seen cases of adults dying from this horrid disease overseas. … I do feel that it is my responsibility, I do feel like it’s up to me to prevent our nightmare becoming someone else’s reality.” – Jodi Keough

Though not as well-known as many other potential dangers in the bush, Naegleria fowleri is one of the most lethal. Doctors say the chance of survival is next-to-none once the amoeba enters the brain. They also stress that the danger arises when the amoeba enters the brain through the nose, and does not occur from drinking, cooking or clothes washing.

Like most rural families, Jodi and Laine Keough had believed the water on their property was clean and safe.

They had no idea that two other children had previously died from the disease just 100 kilometres from their homestead.

Authorities supported the family by rolling out a warning campaign in regional hospitals across north Queensland.

With no proven medical cure, prevention is the key message and the Queensland Government is recommending rural properties treat their house water.

“For young toddlers around the home just make sure that the water that they’re playing and washing in is disinfected and filtered if possible and we’ll reduce the risk, but we won’t get rid of it.” – Dr Steven Donohue, Director Public Health, Townsville

The Queensland Government is urging doctors to be on alert as temperatures rise – creating a favourable environment for the deadly parasite – and people turn to fresh water sources to cool off. Health authorities advise people against submerging their head in dams, lakes and rivers, or at least blocking their nose while under water.

“I just want to empower people with the knowledge. I do believe it would just simply be a matter of time that someone else will lose someone they love and statistically it’s probably most likely going to be a child and a small child.” – Jodi Keough

In February this year the Keoughs welcomed their fourth child. Kennedi was born a ‘micro-premmie’ at 25 weeks, weighing just 750 grams. After 3½ months in hospital, Jodi and her new daughter returned to their family on the cattle station.

“Nothing can take away the pain of losing Cash but our tough little girl brightens every day.” – Jodi Keough

8pm Monday on ABC.