It started with one mum asking a question.

I'm Emily. I'm a full-time working mum of four young children and our son Alexander has a port-wine stain and Sturge-Weber syndrome. Alexander's diagnosis turned all our lives upside down, so I did what any parent would do — I started looking for things I could do to give him a brighter future.

One of those things was to start laser treatment as early as possible, but there was no early treatment option through publicly-funded healthcare in my area. I started contacting laser clinics trying to find treatment for him. All of them were incredibly kind but ultimately the answer was always the same.

“We are sorry, wish we could help.”

…but insurance meant treatment could not be offered to children. We had to self-fund private treatment in a different country, but those words stayed with me.

Then I heard about the research.

I heard about the advancements Dr Anne Comi and her team were making with the research. Fuelling the hope we have always had since day one, that maybe the cure would one day be a possibility.

In my head a lightbulb went on. Suddenly, “we wish we could help” had a completely different answer.

Now you can.

Many clinics may not be able to treat Alexander, or other children like him, today. But they can help. By coming together, the industry can help fund research towards something much bigger than another laser treatment: a treatment that addresses PWS and SWS at their genetic source.

That's how The Last Laser Initiative began.

This is bigger than Alexander

Alexander gave me a reason to fight for that future. The Last Laser Initiative is for everyone with a PWS birthmark or SWS who could benefit from it.

Read Alexander's original fundraiser