Books For Bobby

Books for Bobby on GoFundMe started in January of 2021 prompted by a discussion with a good friend following a diagnosis of breast cancer. We proposed to make her journey purposeful. The initial intent was to fundraise $8,500 to provide 100 recently diagnosed patients with two books, the Silver Lining by Elizabeth Messina and Holly Jacobs, and FU Cancer by Deborah James. They were priced at $60 and $25, respectively. Books helped while spending lengthy periods of times in waiting rooms and hospital wards, and the idea that every cancer patient should have access to books that can help and educate when going through this unnerving period, was born. We initially started a crowdfunding campaign with a story behind the reasons for us beginning this group and immediately started fundraising initiatives, one of the first being CJ cutting her beautiful long locks and donating. By August of that same year (2021) We had raised the money that we set out to raise, through a variety of causes - her son made firepits and artwork; we had friends who donated candles for us to sell; we sold chocolates and seedlings; we organised sausage sizzles (manned by members of the local hockey team); the kid’s swimming squad ran a swimathon; we have had Yogis donate their time for Sound Healing Sessions and some brave people Ran for a Reason!

We contacted the authors and after telling our story, received a generous discount from the author for the Silver Lining. In September, on the anniversary of her initial diagnosis, the family delivered the first lot of books to Breast Cancer Care WA.

And so, you think the story ends there. Breast Cancer Care WA were incredibly grateful for our book libraries and began to give us ideas on other books that may be useful for their counsellors and their patients. We have carried on fundraising, and now we've made it a goal to keep replenishing their shelves for as long as we are able to.

We have extended our reach out to remote communities of WA, who may not have the same access to information as perhaps we do in the city. Tray sources all the books, then orders and distributes and the books are offered free to all. We recently contacted another author Janice Bowles, who writes An Early Guide to Breast Cancer and she again offered us a generous discount on her books.

Books for Bobby is a small project with very few members, which has helped one lovely lady cope with her diagnosis and push her through probably the most difficult couple of years of her life. Our initial aim to make it purposeful is happening!

One of the Books for Bobby team was recently successful in securing a $5,000 Grant from Rio Tinto, for 625 copies of An Early Guide to Breast Cancer to be delivered to the Pilbara. The family drove from Perth to the Pilbara during the school holidays and delivered the books personally. The GoFundMe account is still live, and we will continue the fundraising, hoping to reach even more battling this cruel disease.

We have donated 100s of titles to various groups scattered across WA and to date have raised over $24, 000, all of which has been converted into great resources for all those in need. We recently got together to discuss our aims for 2024 and have decided to attempt to set up 4 lending libraries across remote WA. We have set ourselves a target of $16,000 to achieve – we know we can do it!

If we can make a difference to just one person starting their journey with this disease is, then we have fulfilled our purpose, again and again. Sadly, there will never just be one more person, the majority of us will be affected in one way or another in our lifetime by somebody battling cancer.

Just $10, can buy 1 book to help 1 recently diagnosed patient.

Can you spare $10 today to make a purposeful gift across WA and fill our Libraries of Love?

Thanks for Listening

❤

Books for Bobby 2021-24