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With just a few words from a doctor a family’s life can be changed forever.
When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness the entire family’s lives are turned upside down.
But bills keep coming, siblings still need to go to school and parents still need to work.
The stress and strain of battling the illness can tear families apart but thanks to Wagga’s “guardian angels” hundreds of families are supported through their toughest time.
For the past 15 years Country Hope has been there to guide and support families in the Riverina.
The organisation was formed in 2003 after a group of community-minded people wanted to help local families.
A lack of practical and financial assistance for local families was the motivation behind the formation.
Brian and Joy Kahlefeldt donated $20,000 which got Country Hope off the ground and it has grown every year since.
Country Hope was created and built for the Riverina and that’s who they look after.
There is no head office in Sydney – their head office is in Wagga on Blake Street. All money raised for Country Hope is spent on local families (within 200 kilometre radius of Wagga).
While looking after local families through financial and mental support the organisation also employs locals at the Wagga, Griffith and Albury office.
Country Hope general manager Ellie Webb has been associated with the charity for the past 10 years and has seen much of the growth and changes first hand.
“I first started as a carer at the “Time out for Life” holiday camp in 2008,” she said.
The next year she started as the family liaison officer and then took on the role of general manager in 2014 while also retaining the role of family liaison officer.
“There have been many changes in those past 10 years,” Ellie said.
“There was only one employee, then two and now we have one full-time and four part-time employees.
“The board of directors are all still volunteers.”
There are currently 170 families on the books at Country Hope.
Some have children who are in remission, some have children who have grown up so they don’t need support right now while others are in Sydney now having treatment.
On average 17 new families will be supported by the charity each year however that number jumped to 22 last year. So far this year there are eight new families.
Although sometimes a very difficult job, it is a very rewarding job. To see the look on the parents faces when we say…”yes we can do that” or “yes we can pay that” or “yes we can help with that” is incredibly humbling…some say it’s like having a guardian angel. Families endure many stresses financially and emotionally when their child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. We find if we can help with these stresses we help to keep the family together.
- Country Hope general manager Ellie Webb
Sometimes parents just burst into tears with relief in the knowledge that a bill has been taken care off and a small amount of stress has been taken off.
“Country Hope’s vision is – “Relief, when it matters most”….that’s what we do, give relief when it matters most and that is when a family’s life has been turned upside down due to a child’s life threatening diagnosis,” Ellie said.
Country Hope support families in a multitude of ways including financial, mental and socially.
On the financial front they can pay for utility bills, accommodation, fuel, rent or mortgage payments, and even give cash to cover food and coffee while they are in Sydney getting treatment.
Often one of the parents will need to give up their job so the family loses a wage while all the costs remain the same plus the added costs of battling the disease and traveling to Sydney for treatment.
In most cases one parent stays with the child in Sydney while the other stays home and works and runs a household and looks after the other children.
“They are almost running two households,” Ellie said.
“Time Out For Life” Camp
When hospital visits, stress and bills are ruling the lives of families battling cancer a week off is the last thing they can imagine being able to do.
This is exactly what Country Hope brings to families each year with the “Time Out For Life” Camp.
The camp is an focus for the organisation with the aim of bringing happiness and excitement to the lives of the children.
The diagnosed child and their siblings are taken on camp together and given the chance to just be kids while the parents can have respite for the week.
Hundreds of hours of plannings goes into organising the camp with around 200 volunteers giving up their time to make the camp a reality.
Each child has a dedicated carer with them for the entire week and that relationship often continues after camp.
The camp is held during the September school holidays and will be at the Borambola Recreation Centre this year but changes locations regularly. Financially, the camp is made possible by the Wagga Picnic Race Club who raise the funds through their annual race meeting, and members of the Albury Rotary Club.
If you know a family in the Riverina who could use the support of Country Hope call 1800 007 880 to let the team at Country Hope work their magic.