The Port Stephens community is rallying behind the family of seven-year-old Bella Howard, from Shoal Bay, who was earlier this year diagnosed with a brain tumour and has very limited time left.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In April, the Year 3 St Michael's Primary School student was diagnosed with a highly aggressive brain tumour and was told she had just three months to live.
In desperation her parents, Gene and Sarah Howard, launched an appeal and with the help from the local community they were able to raise the funds needed for emergency life-saving surgery.
Reputable Sydney neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo performed the surgery on Bella's brain in May, but another MRI at the end of August left her parents heartbroken after being told that it was no longer possible for medical aid to prolong Bella's life.
Sherry Christian from Raine & Horne Nelson Bay has created a GoFundMe campaign to support the family.
"I first heard of Bella through a local school pie fundraiser and felt there was more to do and so established the GoFundMe page," Ms Christian said.
"Bella will not be with us for very much longer - perhaps two months at most. It is our wish to give Bella and her family memories to last beyond this page in their lives. All money raised will go towards helping the family in practical ways through this difficult path and providing Bella with new experiences to brighten her final days.
"I want to reach out to as many people as I possibly can to make a difference to this family. I am aiming to offer as many resources as I can to make this time the most pleasurable, comfortable and as memorable as it can possibly be."
Ms Christian said the campaign has connected with some extraordinary people who had been reaching out to support wherever they can.
"We might be a small community but a strong one and it's tremendous to see how this launch has opened the eyes of the community to make a real difference in tragic circumstances for this young family," she said.
On Thursday, September 3, more than $24,000 had been raised through the GoFundMe page - just shy of halfway to the $50,000 fund-raising goal.
To donate, find the Bella's Brain Cancer Battle campaign on gofundme.com. Residents can also follow Bella's Brain Tumour Battle through a Facebook page of the same name.
The Facebook and GoFundMe pages are updated regularly with photos and the activities Bella has been getting up to with her family such as celebrating her younger sister Mia's birthday and, as recently as Sunday, surfing.
To support the fundraising campaign, St Michael's is holding a Bubbles for Bella Day in the school grounds on Friday, September 4, from 9.30am to 10.30am.
"The school is undertaking this as Bella is one of our community and we want to brighten her days as much as we can in the short amount of time she has left," St Michael's principal Helen Bourne said.
"We will have a rainbow chalk path for Bella to walk into the school. There will be arches of balloons as well as a decorated hall. The students will present Bella with a book of pictures, we will sing the rainbow song, the students will be dressed in rainbow colours, we will have bubble machines running and each student will have a bubble wand. Her classmates will have a party with her. Each student will make a donation on the day."
Ms Bourne said the school had been sending pictures to Bella during her treatment, that she had been into visit and staff had been cooking for the family. This is in addition to the P&C hosting the pie drive to raise money for the family.
Next Level Boxing in Salamander Bay will also host a fundraiser for Bella on Friday. From 5pm-8pm the gym in George Road will hold a sausage sizzle and sell raffle tickets. Snags are $2 each, as are drinks. Raffle tickets are $5. Individuals or businesses that would like to donate prizes to the raffle are asked to contact Next Level Boxing through Facebook.
