A FUNDRAISING event will be held on 20 October to raise money for Patterson Lakes resident Jackie Smith to help with her treatment for bowel cancer.
Ms Smith was diagnosed with bowel cancer a year ago, and has since struggled through lengthy chemotherapy and radiation treatments with little progress made.
Her health has taken another bad turn lately, when her donated kidney began failing due to the radiation therapy she was being put through.
To help her raise the money needed for the next step of her treatment, immunotherapy, her friends have organised an event to raise funds and awareness for her condition and organ donation.
“What was happening was Jackie’s donated kidney was failing. They said they thought her kidney was going, so we’ll need to start looking for a kidney donor. One of the girls in our friendship group said they would do the tests to find out if she could pass on their kidney. They went through the testing and it looked like it’d be a smooth process, she was a viable donor. Then Jackie had some complications, she was a bit sore, and as all of that was happening they discovered she had a rare type of bowel cancer,” said Ms Smith’s friend Dominique Aprea.
“She went through some chemotherapy and radiation last year, they thought they had it all. They had a scan and realised they saw something miniscule. They went into the biopsy and found it was still cancer. They realised it was spreading to other areas of the body as well. That’s where we’re at.”
To help raise upwards of $60,000 towards her treatment, her friends have organised the ‘Have a Crack for Jac’ trivia night at Frankston Football Club.
“It could be lifesaving. This support blows Jackie away, she can’t get her head around it. Any support is overwhelming, and we’re so incredibly grateful and generous of everyone that’s helping. She can’t believe that strangers and friends of friends are all donating and volunteering and helping in any way they can so she can have life saving treatment,” Ms Aprea said.
“Donations, sponsors, and volunteers on the evening would be fantastic. Anything and everything would be greatly received and appreciated, and it all goes towards raising money for Jackie.”
Tickets for the event can be purchased by emailing haveacrackforjac@gmail.com or calling Dominique Aprea at 0402 752 404
A crowdfunding page, which has already raised in excess of $10,000, has been set up at gofundme.com/have-a-crack-for-jac
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 26 September 2018
