Charmaine PartingtonB次元官网网址檚 heart sank when she heard about a young Langford girl with cancer.
Three-year-old Hannah Day is being treated for Stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma at B.C. ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 hospital.
Even though Partington has never met Day or her family, the young girlB次元官网网址檚 story hit close to home.
B次元官网网址淚 thought what if this happened to my kid?B次元官网网址� said Partington, whose daughter Alicia is close in age to Hannah.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to hand over money you donB次元官网网址檛 have, but since IB次元官网网址檝e had Alicia IB次元官网网址檝e seen how important community is.B次元官网网址�
After thinking about the sick tot, Partington decided she had to do something for the family. Both of DayB次元官网网址檚 parents have stopped working to be at their daughterB次元官网网址檚 bedside.
At first Partington headed to the kitchen and baked some cookies with two-and-a-half-year-old Alicia. The next day, Partington sold the cookies at her work and collected $34 for the family.
Still wanting to do more, Partington decided to organize a garage sale for the family. It seemed fitting since she first heard of DayB次元官网网址檚 struggle through a Facebook page B次元官网网址淰ictoria moms swap and shop,B次元官网网址� a group of parents selling childrenB次元官网网址檚 used items.
B次元官网网址淚 was sure each one of us have a bag of items we can donate,B次元官网网址� Partington said, adding she called out for donations on the Facebook page.
Gordon United Church donated the space for the fundraiser and Partington has been collecting childrenB次元官网网址檚 items such as clothing, toys, books, bedding and maternity items to sell.
Hearing about a sick toddler is one thing, but when Partington heard about the familyB次元官网网址檚 history she had to spring into action.
Day and her family fell victim to a fire at DayB次元官网网址檚 Welding and Fabricating on Dunford Avenue, Jan. 2, 2011. Not only did the family lose its business but they lived in a suite in the building. The family lost everything.
Hannah Day was admitted to the B.C. ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 hospital Aug. 2. She also has a younger sister who is being cared for by other family members.
This is the second known case of rhabdomyosarcoma hitting the West Shore in recent years. Delaney Dunlop, an 18-year-old from Metchosin, was first diagnosed with the rare cancer in July 2009 and died on Thanksgiving Day in 2010.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 incredibly rare,B次元官网网址� said Suzanne Germain, Vancouver Island Health Authority spokesperson, noting rhabdomyosarcoma accounts for about three per cent of all childhood cancers.
Donations for the garage sale benefiting the Day family are still being collected and can be arranged through Partington via email at believeit17@gmail.com
The garage sale is Sept. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Gordon United Church, 935 Goldstream Ave.
All items will be sold by donation and all funds will be passed on to DayB次元官网网址檚 family.
charla@goldstreamgazette.com
Community support
B次元官网网址� Lindsay Goulet of Hot Mama Health and Fitness is hosting another fundraiser for Hannah Day.
Butt-kick for Bucks is a family bootcamp fundraiser planned for Sept. 8, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at Eagle Ridge dry floor arena, 1089 Langford Parkway.
B次元官网网址� The Day family also received a generous donation of $10,000 from Re/Max Alliance on Aug. 24.
