Airlie Beach community helps lift family’s spirits after devastating cancer diagnosis

A heartwarming gesture lifted a Whitsunday family’s spirits sky high after a fun-loving 14-year-old received a devastating cancer diagnosis last week.

Proserpine State High School student Cody Gibbs received the devastating news last week that after almost two years of clear MRIs, a brain tumour he spent months in hospital fighting had returned, and with it, three more tumours in his brain and spine.

The generosity of the Whitsunday community shone through at the weekend when the 14 year old facing his second cancer battle in three years received some welcome respite from contemplating the challenges ahead.

His mum Donna Davis said some dizzy spells and speech difficulties in recent weeks were the only suggestion something was wrong ahead of Cody’s Brisbane doctors delivering the diagnosis last Thursday.

Friends of Cody’s Airlie Beach family immediately sprang into action to organise something to lift the sports-mad teen’s spirits, and within a matter of hours had raised enough funds through community donations for Cody, his older sister Tia, and three friends to go skydiving.

Cody Gibbs, middle, invited school friends Channing Walsh and Nathan Richards to go skydiving with him over Airlie Beach on Saturday. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Cody’s mum Donna Davis, sister Tia Gibbs, and dad Dwayne Gibbs ahead of the big leap into the unknown. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Always up for a thrill such as taking on big jumps on his skateboard, Cody said skydiving had been a dream of his ever since he watched Tia take the plunge for the first time a couple of years ago.

On landing on Boathaven Beach to the cheers and tears of family and friends on Saturday morning, he described the experience as “incredible”.

Picture: Skydive Australia Airlie Beach

Ms Davis said the action-packed excursion was “a good distraction” from the family’s anxious wait for more news from Brisbane Children’s Hospital about Cody’s upcoming treatment.

Cody spent nine months as an 11 and 12 year old undergoing radiation, chemotherapy and four operations to treat the original tumour discovered on his pineal gland, losing most of his hair and experiencing ongoing vision issues a result.

With multiple tumours to treat this time around, the family is uncertain what the plan of attack might involve.

“It could be radiation, we just don’t know because he only just got diagnosed. The doctors don’t make rash decisions,” Ms Davis said.

14-year-old Cody Gibbs was on a high after completing his first skydive at Airlie Beach on Saturday. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Cody recently found a new passion for Aussie rules football after joining the Whitsunday Sea Eagles under 14s side, and said he would do “whatever it takes to get through” the illness.

“We’ve been through it once, we’ll do it again,” he said.

“You’ve just got to get through it and keep that positivity in your head and hope for the best.”

The family was grateful to have a strong support network around them as they faced the unthinkable yet again.

They especially thanked Ms Davis’ work colleagues at Ray White Whitsunday and Maz McDougall, a teacher’s aid at Cody’s former primary school at Cannonvale.

“We call her ‘Super Maz’,” Cody’s dad Dwayne Gibbs said of Ms McDougall’s ongoing efforts to bring the family some joy in challenging times, which included organising the skydive, and a previous helicopter ride for Cody’s 14th birthday.

Kellie LaMonica, Shelley McCormack, and Zoe Skinner of Ray White Whitsunday cheered on Cody’s skydive at Boathaven Beach on Saturday. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Ms McDougall, an Airlie Beach resident of 38 years, credited the wider community with making Cody’s skydiving dream come true.

“This town blows me away – no matter how tough everyone else is doing it, everyone still puts their hand in their pocket,” Ms McDougall said.

“All I do is pick up the phone.

“I call it a town full of ‘earth angels’. I think it’s the best bloody joint in the world.”

If you want to support Cody and his family through the next course of treatment, you can donate to an online fundraiser, or contact Kellie LaMonica at Ray White Whitsunday on 4948 8500 to find out other ways to help.