Elizabeth Miroforidis and Nickolas Kakias vow to fight for son Elias as he battles rare illness

faced the agonising reality of another child diagnosed with the condition.

Parents Elizabeth Miroforidis and Nickolas Kakias lost their boy Elias after he was diagnosed with dilated Cardiomyopathy Barth Syndrome aged just eight months old.

The condition affects the heart and blood flow around the body.

Tragically, the Sydney family discovered their third son, Alexander, also suffers from the same syndrome.

On Wednesday he was flown from Sydney to Melbourne for treatment, father Nickolas and Elizabeth told news.com.au.

“He was stable enough to be transported but still was very unwell,” Nickolas said after putting the 20-month-old on a flight to Melbourne on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, his mother vowed: “This time I’m coming home with my son.”

“We’ll stay strong for our little man,” Nickolas said, stressing that he was so grateful to everyone who had rallied in support of his family — particularly staff at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

News of their second son’s rare illness touched their local community in Sydney’s inner west, with two GoFundMe pages set up to support the family.

As of Wednesday afternoon the pages had raised more than $6300.

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Baby Elias had developed an infection in infancy and was put on a Berlin heart — a mechanical device that supports patients with late stage heart failure.

He was awaiting a heart transplant but, due to blood clotting, died from brain damage in August 2018.

One year later the family were blessed with another child, Alexander, a little brother to their other son Romeo.

But “after such sadness there was concern”, the couple’s friend Megan Collier wrote on a GoFundMe.

Another GoFundMe was launched by the owner of Greek nightclub Defi II, in Belmore, which is supported by a ticketed event on May 14.

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The family was told there was just a one per cent chance Alexander would be born with the same condition, but have since discovered he does have the rare condition.

Little Alexander was flown from The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney in intensive care to Melbourne to receive enhanced treatment.

Elizabeth and Nickolas will join him in Melbourne later this evening.

Nickolas and Elizabeth said they think there needs to be more awareness and funding for children with heart conditions.

“I don’t think people really understand unless you’re in the children’s hospital, and you meet all these different families,” Elizabeth said.

“Every day there’s another kid born with another heart condition. It’s just getting worse and worse,” Nickolas said.

“I don’t think there’s enough fundraising or awareness.”

Both parents said they were incredibly grateful to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, who they said had an “amazing cardiac ICU team”.

“This time I’m coming home with my son,” mum Elizabeth insisted at the end of her interview with news.com.au.