‘Aid an ambo’ fundraiser helps family of frontline worker fighting cancer
Kahlia Smith was shocked when her husband’s routine blood test saw him rushed to hospital only a few weeks after enjoying bushwalks and interstate travel.
Together for Tassie
Don't miss out on the headlines from Together for Tassie. Followed categories will be added to My News.
KAHLIA Smith was shocked when her husband’s routine blood test saw him rushed to hospital only a few weeks after enjoying bushwalks and interstate travel.
Mrs Smith said she and her husband Adam Smith were both working in Launceston as paramedics when Mr Smith’s metastatic bowel cancer diagnosis turned their lives upside down.
“There was no sign anything was wrong,” she said.
She said since receiving the diagnosis around Easter, the cancer had spread from Mr Smith’s bowels to his bones, causing painful fractures in his spine.
She said the uncertainty of her husband’s condition, and looking after her two children Fletcher, 3, and Thea, 1, on her limited sick leave was an “emotional rollercoaster”.
The paramedic said she was “blown away” when her friend and colleague Bron Roberston-Milne launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the family.
“It was so heartwarming,” she said, “I didn’t think it would get as big as it has.”
Since its launch on Sunday evening, the “Aid an Ambo” appeal has smashed its $5000 goal to raise more than $11,000 in donations.
Ms Robertson-Milne said she was shocked by the generous community response.
“Setting it up is the easy part,” she said, “If people can get behind it, they’ll be helping someone who would otherwise be helping them.”
Mrs Smith said she was grateful for help from the community and her “amazingly supportive” family.
“Adam’s starting chemotherapy later in the week,” she said. “We’re taking it one day at a time and just looking for the small wins.”
To donate to the Smith family, visit gofundme.com/f/1zvzpech6o
MORE NEWS:
Huon Aquaculture fined $40,000 for environmental breaches
COVIDSafe app: Issues preventing registrations as Federal Government calls for more downloads
Inside the lives of Tasmania’s most notorious creatures
Two decades in isolation might seem like a lot to some folk, but for a special group of Tassie residents who have dodged death, plotted escapes and continued to thrive, it’s all par for the course. Q&A ABOUT LAUNCESTON’S ENIGMATIC MONKEYS >>
You wouldn’t expect 1100 jobs to go unfulfilled for long
There are 1151 fruit picking and packing jobs up for grabs right now in Tasmania – and 34,288 people on JobSeeker payments crying out for work, so what’s the disconnect, asks Jenna Cairney.