Sienna Dunion Family Story: How a Simple Flu Changed Everything

A Family’s Nightmare Unfolds

For Gary and Angelina Dunion, life changed in ways they could never have imagined after their four-year-old daughter, Sienna, caught what seemed like a routine case of flu. Until mid-November, Sienna had been a happy, healthy child with no underlying medical conditions. What began as a typical childhood illness quickly spiralled into a medical crisis that would forever alter this Corby family’s life.

From Excitement to Emergency

A happy and excitable four-year-old, she and her older sister had just been told of a trip to Lapland for Christmas, and while she was delighted, she had also complained of feeling “cold and chilly”. On Wednesday morning she became unresponsive, with an emergency trip to A&E in Kettering turning into every parent’s worst nightmare as Sienna was placed into an induced coma and diagnosed with the rare brain disease Acute Necrotising Encephalitis (ANE).

Sienna also developed a leak in her intestine and had to undergo emergency surgery, where surgeons had to remove 60 per cent of her intestines to save her life. The complications extended beyond her brain, requiring multiple surgeries and intensive medical intervention.

The Long Road to Recovery

Although Sienna is no longer in a coma, doctors have told her parents she will not return to the child she once was. She is awake but unable to track her eyes, eat independently, or understand what is happening around her. Now, her family is preparing for years of rehabilitation as she learns how to walk and talk again.

Intensive rehabilitation lies ahead, including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and feeding support. The emotional toll extends to Sienna’s seven-year-old sister, her best friend, who struggles to understand when their family will be whole again.

Community Support and a Message of Hope

A fundraising page for a little girl from Corby who is in intensive care suffering from a serious brain bug has topped £85,000 in just three days. The overwhelming community response demonstrates the power of collective compassion during unimaginable circumstances.

Gary’s message to fellow parents is unequivocal: vaccinate your children against the flu. He believes that had they chosen to vaccinate Sienna, her current condition might have been avoided. The Dunion family’s story serves as a stark reminder of how quickly life can change and the critical importance of preventive healthcare measures.