Meet Daniela and Sebastian

Every time Daniela LoCastro drives past the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), she gets emotional.

Before having her son Sebastian, she rarely thought about the work that goes on inside.

But after Sebastian suffered a stroke during birth, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and went under the care of a team of specialists at RCH.

“(Before Sebastian was born) I never really understood what goes on inside those hallways, and the conversations around beds,” she said.

“But the people (who work there) are actual angels of service.” Now three years old, Sebastian is “a happy, content boy”.

But he faces a lifelong battle to keep up with his peers.

The left side of his body is weak, which affects everything from his speech through to picking up toys and walking.

Daniela said the RCH paediatricians were working closely with allied health services to ensure he got the therapy support he needed.

“The goal of therapy is for his brain not to forget he has a left side,” she said. “So we have a lot of play that needs two hands, and we’re encouraging the movement between them … to build connections in the brain.”

Daniela said she was grateful to the cutting-edge research at RCH, which had ensured Sebastian received world-class care.

Daniela entered the 2025 Herald Sun/Transurban Run for the Kids as a way to give back.

Entries for the 2026 event are open now.