News

Announcing that Dainere’s Rainbow Splendiferous Christmas Light Display and Stall 2014 was able to spread vital awareness about paediatric brain tumours and also raised the wonderful total of $672.85. We are so extremely grateful to those in the Canberra Community who despite tough times gave so generously.

These funds are so deeply appreciated not only by us but also by Dr David Ziegler and his team at The Sydney Children’s Hospital so that they can continue their dedicated research; looking at paediatric brain tumour biology, testing new drugs, working on novel new treatments with less devastating side effects and wanting to discover a cure so children don’t have to suffer and have their future stolen by this disease.

In 2012 Dainere had a special dream of creating a Christmas Light Display to bring joy throughout the Canberra Community whilst raising desperately needed awareness and funds for paediatric brain tumours which she was so passionate, determined and selfless about.
In 2015 we hope the Light Display throughout December will sparkle, illuminate, be magical, give joy and love and be as splendiferous as Dainere’s most radiant smile.
For our beautiful angel we will be continuing her dream and following her written wishes at this most blessed and special time of year and also see her greatest wish in life of a cure being found for the most insidious disease that stole her young life become a reality.

Hope to see you during December next year with a smile on your face and your hearts filled with joy whilst enjoying Dainere’s Light Display.

Nalani and Jarrett along with Mathew and Brigitte are running as part of SCHF-Team Dainere’s Rainbow. They have all been training hard despite some terribly cold weather and are all passionate about raising awareness and funds for paediatric brain tumours for Dainere’s Rainbow Brain Tumour Research Fund and continuing her most inspirational, selfless, tireless and committed legacy.

Dainere’s greatest wish in life of improved treatments, early detection, new clinical trials and a cure being found for the horrendous disease that stole her life and the life of so many other precious children.

Also, if Jarrett raises at least $500 in the month of July then he will have his hair cut short. He is about half way there at present.

They are also extremely motivated and inspired by the extraordinary efforts of Michael Shelley and Jessica Trengove in the Commonwealth Games Marathon.

With sincere gratitude to everyone who shared or donated to City2Surf 2014 an amazing total of $5,840.50 was raised as well as desperately needed awareness of the disease in the Community.

We wish to express our deepest and humble appreciation to each and every person and Community Sponsors for your generosity which contributed tremendously towards the Dainere’s Rainbow Brain Tumour Research Fund Inaugural Memorial Dinner. It truly was a splendiferous evening and so extraordinarily colourful. What an amazingly special way to honour the memory of our most beloved Dainere and continue her legacy of raising desperately needed awareness and funds for paediatric brain tumours.

It is due to your support that Dainere’s Rainbow Brain Tumour Research Fund Inaugural Memorial Dinner held on 21st June 2014 raised an incredible $20,100.00.

These funds go towards the research of the devoted Dr David Ziegler and his team at The Kids Cancer Centre at The Sydney Children’s Hospital who are working towards improving the outcomes for all children with brain tumours, through a comprehensive research program that stretches from investigating the basic biology and genetics of childhood brain tumours in the laboratory, to the implementation of novel treatment strategies in state of the art clinical trials.

At the dinner a speech that Dainere wrote was read, this is part of what was in that speech, this is why it is so important to continue Dainere’s legacy.
“My over four year journey with Medulloblastoma was like the most furious storm, I believed I was given my journey for a special reason and I was positive that it was not only to raise awareness and funds to help others in the future but also to inspire, give hope and courage. My mantra in life and title of my first book was ‘You Have To Go Through A Storm To Get To A Rainbow’. I fought as hard as I could against this horrendous disease but the storm was too strong and has taken my life. There are so many things I will never get to achieve, so many new adventures I will never know, I only wish I had more time.

My rainbow was one of hope, I still want it to be that, when other people see a resplendent rainbow in the sky after a storm I want them to be inspired, think of my greatest wish and to continue to raise awareness about brain cancer in the Community, my little voice could only make a small difference but together many voices can create a change”.

Remember that together we can raise our voices and create change by raising awareness about this horrendous disease and see Dainere’s greatest wish in life of a cure being found for paediatric brain tumours.

Our first Rainbow Run was a major success thank you to all this involved who helped make this event possible. We hope to continue this event in the future and make it something all schools can be involved in.

From the Principal –
I have organised to have a contender for the Young Australian of the Year 2105, Jarrett Anthoney to address the assembly. Life changed forever when Jarrett Anthoney’s little sister Dainere was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Dainere was to survive nearly five years of debilitating treatment with severe side effects before passing away, aged 15, in 2013.

During those five years, Jarrett built skills and knowledge to help raise awareness and funds to fight the number one killer of children in Australia. Today, Jarrett is a resilient young ambassador who gives courage, hope and a voice to children and families who suffer from this terrible disease.

Making great personal sacrifices, Jarrett identifies and drives many projects to support the charity that bears his sister’s name – Dainere’s Rainbow Brain Tumour Research Fund.

In 2013, Jarrett was the top fundraiser in the 2013 Sydney City2Surf, raising $52,150 for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.

With long-term commitment and vision, Jarrett is determined to make a difference, and to share Dainere’s lesson that “you have to go through a storm to get to a rainbow.”

Evatt School will follow up with a Teddy Bear fundraising day next week, where the SRC will ask for a gold coin donation to support this worthwhile cause. Students and staff can bring in their Teddy Bears.

Yesterday I had the honour of going into Evatt Primary School and talking briefly about my incredible little sister Dainere, brain tumours and my initiative of starting “Teddy Bears For Brain Tumours”-a day where students bring in there favourite teddy bear/soft toy with a gold coin donation with all money going to Dainere’s Rainbow Brain Tumour Research Fund. With Evatt Primary getting behind it, I am hoping to get many more Canberra schools supporting this also. One school may be a small start, but with persistence and hard work it will grow into many more schools and more of the much needed awareness and funds for paediatric brain tumours.
~Jarrett