Danny, Au & Emme need our help
Donation protected
If you live in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne and have had car troubles, chances are you've met Danny of 'Jackson Automotive', at sometime over the last 30 odd years and know what a top bloke he is.
He's your typical Aussie battler, never asks anyone for a hand but is always the first to give one, to anyone. He's run his own small business for a couple of decades now, first his workshop in Ferntree Gully and now, due to his family circumstances, has a mobile workshop.
You see Danny's loving wife Au (pronounced "oo") has been (mostly silently) battling cancer. During this incredible lady's battle, this little family has refused most outside help and have gone about attending appointments, hospital visits and treatments, of their own accord, since a terrifying cervical cancer diagnosis in 2017.
Au grew up with her loving family in Thailand. Her and Danny met, fell in love and now have their beautiful little daughter Emme who is in Grade 1 in a local Knox primary school. At the time of Au's diagnosis she had a radical surgery followed by chemo and radiation therapy.
The following year in 2018 the cancer spread to her lung and lymph nodes. She had surgery on her lung, followed again by chemo and radiation therapy. But again this insidious disease refused to leave her body and returned in her lung, demanding more chemo and more radiation.
Devastatingly, while most of us were complaining about wearing masks and having to isolate during 2020, Au suffered a stroke while reading a goodnight story to little Emme. She was rushed to hospital, alone in the ambulance without her family support and was found to have multiple brain tumours, of the same nasty cancer. Two were able to be removed but one had to be left and again she was given radiation therapy. It was during this time, her father, in Thailand, also suffered a catastrophic stroke and soon passed away. Au dealt with the news of this alone, having very short video calls with Danny and Emme. The video calls had to be kept brief due to the tumour still in her brain and the rest she needed to heal from surgery.
Au is the most positive, inspiring and loving person you could ever meet. Through all of her own battles she has been supporting many people in need during the covid emergency. Many of her fellow friends and acquaintances were left unemployed and struggling. She has been cooking for them (she is an amazing cook!) and also sewing masks to either give away or to raise money to buy more food to be able to cook for others, including cooking lunch for healthcare workers at our own local Knox Hospital as her own way of showing gratitude towards medical staff for her own care during treatments at Peter Mac & Box Hill.
Au has spent 2020 through to now, in and out of chemo and radiation therapy fighting to stay with her family. Last week they suffered the most devastating blow of all. After her latest MRI, her team of doctors delivered news that has bought them all to their knees. 7 brain tumours growing rapidly. Her fighting spirit continues and will always do so, but this horrible cancer is taking over her body.
Danny is the proudest man I know and I wish I had a million dollars to give to this family so they can now rest, stop fighting time and traffic and medical bills and just be with each other. But I don't and I don't know anyone who does. I am a long time friend of the family, I have seen their need over the last several months especially, as this cancer battle has taken each serious turn. I have offered to do this in the past and they have declined. Today, through sheer exhaustion of all other avenues including selling most of their material belongings, they said I could.
Together, with any amount that many of us can give, we all know how this crowd funding thing can be life changing.
We know this won't be life saving but I want Danny to not have to walk out of that door every day as a small business owner has to, to make ends meet.
He needs and wants to be with his wife and daughter so they can make their plans for what their future holds.
Let's pay it forward to this beautiful family and make their short time left together less financially stressed.
Any donation small or large will be greatly appreciated
He's your typical Aussie battler, never asks anyone for a hand but is always the first to give one, to anyone. He's run his own small business for a couple of decades now, first his workshop in Ferntree Gully and now, due to his family circumstances, has a mobile workshop.
You see Danny's loving wife Au (pronounced "oo") has been (mostly silently) battling cancer. During this incredible lady's battle, this little family has refused most outside help and have gone about attending appointments, hospital visits and treatments, of their own accord, since a terrifying cervical cancer diagnosis in 2017.
Au grew up with her loving family in Thailand. Her and Danny met, fell in love and now have their beautiful little daughter Emme who is in Grade 1 in a local Knox primary school. At the time of Au's diagnosis she had a radical surgery followed by chemo and radiation therapy.
The following year in 2018 the cancer spread to her lung and lymph nodes. She had surgery on her lung, followed again by chemo and radiation therapy. But again this insidious disease refused to leave her body and returned in her lung, demanding more chemo and more radiation.
Devastatingly, while most of us were complaining about wearing masks and having to isolate during 2020, Au suffered a stroke while reading a goodnight story to little Emme. She was rushed to hospital, alone in the ambulance without her family support and was found to have multiple brain tumours, of the same nasty cancer. Two were able to be removed but one had to be left and again she was given radiation therapy. It was during this time, her father, in Thailand, also suffered a catastrophic stroke and soon passed away. Au dealt with the news of this alone, having very short video calls with Danny and Emme. The video calls had to be kept brief due to the tumour still in her brain and the rest she needed to heal from surgery.
Au is the most positive, inspiring and loving person you could ever meet. Through all of her own battles she has been supporting many people in need during the covid emergency. Many of her fellow friends and acquaintances were left unemployed and struggling. She has been cooking for them (she is an amazing cook!) and also sewing masks to either give away or to raise money to buy more food to be able to cook for others, including cooking lunch for healthcare workers at our own local Knox Hospital as her own way of showing gratitude towards medical staff for her own care during treatments at Peter Mac & Box Hill.
Au has spent 2020 through to now, in and out of chemo and radiation therapy fighting to stay with her family. Last week they suffered the most devastating blow of all. After her latest MRI, her team of doctors delivered news that has bought them all to their knees. 7 brain tumours growing rapidly. Her fighting spirit continues and will always do so, but this horrible cancer is taking over her body.
Danny is the proudest man I know and I wish I had a million dollars to give to this family so they can now rest, stop fighting time and traffic and medical bills and just be with each other. But I don't and I don't know anyone who does. I am a long time friend of the family, I have seen their need over the last several months especially, as this cancer battle has taken each serious turn. I have offered to do this in the past and they have declined. Today, through sheer exhaustion of all other avenues including selling most of their material belongings, they said I could.
Together, with any amount that many of us can give, we all know how this crowd funding thing can be life changing.
We know this won't be life saving but I want Danny to not have to walk out of that door every day as a small business owner has to, to make ends meet.
He needs and wants to be with his wife and daughter so they can make their plans for what their future holds.
Let's pay it forward to this beautiful family and make their short time left together less financially stressed.
Any donation small or large will be greatly appreciated
Organizer and beneficiary
Samantha Grant
Organizer
Boronia, VIC
Daniel Van Der Zalm
Beneficiary