GoFundMe to help six grieving Brisbane children

The six children of cancer victim and single mum Melinda Carmody have been dealt another crushing blow with the unexpected death of their grandmother and guardian.

The Brisbane community is rallying behind the six grieving children of single mum and cancer victim Melinda Carmody, who have been dealt another crushing blow with the untimely death of their guardian and grandmother Elizabeth Carmody.

Elizabeth passed away unexpectedly from a stroke on February 19, less than two months since her daughter Melinda lost her well-publicised battle with breast cancer.

The children lost their mother Mel Carmody (left) and grandmother Elizabeth Carmody (right) within two months of each other.

The children were heartbroken, according to cousin Chloe Shaw.

“It’s hard on them because they just got back into a routine and then everything was just thrown up in the air,” Chloe said.

“They were freaking out because now it seems like everyone is passing away.”

With nowhere else to turn, the children’s aunt and Chloe’s mother, Joanne Singh, has dropped everything to make sure her family is cared for.

Joanne left her job and her husband in New Zealand to visit Melinda in her final days, and that trip has now been extended indefinitely as she assumes the role of legal guardian.

“She was shocked at first, she never expected to have another six children,” Chloe said.

“But there’s no other family around, and if she didn’t do it they’d have to be separated and that would be horrible.”

HAPPIER TIMES: The family all together.

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With two children of her own, Joanne has eight mouths to feed, and without a job the family is struggling to make ends meet.

It is unknown when she will be able to return to New Zealand or to reunite with her husband, who has experienced difficulty in applying for a partnership visa.

Chloe launched a GoFundMe to help her mother cover both the cost of the funerals and to set up an emergency fund for the children.

In the two weeks since its launch, it has raised $1430 of its $10,000 target, and Chloe hopes it will be enough to have both Melinda and Elizabeth interred by Mother’s Day.