Elouise Massa never stopped fighting for her son Joe. Now her heartbreak will protect other children.

In a home in Sydney's Northern Beaches sits a little boy's bedroom he will never sleep in again. Toys he will never play with. Clothes he will never wear.

Parents Elouise and Danny Massa were forced to accept the life they imagined for their two-year-old son Joe would never become a reality after he died at Northern Beaches Hospital.

They say the hospital failed their son "at every level". Had staff listened to Elouise's desperate pleas for help, Joe would still be alive.

Their heartbreak has been the driving force behind sweeping reforms to NSW health protocols, so hopefully no family will endure the same tragedy.

Listen to more about Joe Massa's death on The Quicky. Post continues below.

A mother's desperate pleas unheard.

Elouise said her son had "no chance of survival" as soon as he stepped foot in the hospital on the morning of September 14, 2024.

She rushed him to hospital for help after he vomited during the night, her maternal instincts telling her something was seriously wrong.

Despite a dangerously high heart rate, Joe was kept waiting two-and-a-half hours for a bed, as Elouise begged repeatedly for help.

"He was deteriorating, literally dying in my arms minute by minute, and I was being told to sit back down in my chair and follow the process of giving him electrolytes," Elouise told Mamamia. "It was harrowing."

Staff wrongly triaged Joe as a less serious category of patient, meaning he was kept waiting longer than he should've been, and refused his parents' requests for him to be given intravenous fluid.

Elouise believes that an IV drip could have saved his life.

"Had he simply had the drip I asked for on multiple occasions, had he been hooked up to any monitoring equipment prior to his cardiac arrest, he would most likely still be here today," she said.

Tragically, Joe went into cardiac arrest, which resulted in irreversible brain damage.

Joe loved being outside in the garden. Image: Supplied.

READ ON: ELOUISE MASSA: 'My son was dying in my arms. Had hospital staff done what I asked, he would likely still be here.'

Joe's Rule: A legacy born from loss.

Elouise told Mamamia her boy was "failed by a broken system" — a system she's now determined to change through her profound grief.

For the Massas, Joe's death has become bigger than their little boy. His legacy might now save another child's life.

Northern Beaches Hospital, operated by private healthcare giant Healthscope, held a review into Joe's death and found serious individual and systemic failures in the hospital's management of his rapidly deteriorating condition.

The review stated his deterioration may have been recognised sooner if Joe's parents' concerns had been escalated sooner.

It's why the Massas have been calling to strengthen REACH protocols (Recognise, Engage, Act, Call, Help is on its way) — a vital system that empowers families to escalate concerns when they feel their loved ones aren't receiving adequate care.

REACH advises parents and carers to speak to a doctor or nurse about their concerns before asking for a "clinical review". If they're still worried, they can call the hospital's REACH number, which triggers an independent review of the patient's treatment.

Elouise with Joe. Image: Supplied.

On Wednesday, Elouise and Danny met with NSW Premier Chris Minns and Health Minister Ryan Park.

Speaking at a press conference afterwards, Joe's parents said the government would hold a roundtable to investigate upgrading and potentially mandating the REACH protocols.

They will be renamed 'Joe's Rule', ensuring parents and caregivers understand their rights.

"It [was] the most constructive, positive meeting that I think any parents who are brokenhearted could expect to have with the premier of NSW," Elouise said.

"They were moved to tears, we were moved to tears … we felt that this journey, which has only been a week-long for us in terms of being in the media, has been worth it, worth every single moment of heartache."

Danny added: "We know that Joe's life mattered. I think we have a sense of relief… his death will also matter."

Danny and Elouise also demanded the government re-evaluate its contract with Healthscope to ensure "private operators prioritise patient safety over profit".

And the government appears to be listening. The Massas said the premier is open to legislating a ban on public hospitals outsourcing operations to private companies.

The government will also request a coronial inquest into Joe's death, as well as order investigations into Joe's care and the Northern Beaches Hospital's emergency department.

Joe was a 'gentle' but 'cheeky' boy. Image: Supplied.

While Joe's bedroom lies empty, a piece of him now sits in the premier's office.

In a poignant gesture that speaks volumes about their determination, Elouise gave Minns one of Joe's favourite shoes to keep on his desk as a reminder of Joe's story and how far it is from being over.

"We will not stop advocating for Joe," Elouise told Mamamia.

Through their unimaginable pain, the Massas are ensuring that their little boy's life continues to make a difference, transforming their deepest heartbreak into hope for other families.

Feature image: Supplied.