It’s a cause that is close to the heart of the staff.
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Taree’s Cafe Thyme will be raising funds for the Mark Hughes Foundation by donating $1 from every coffee purchased next week (June 4 to 8).
The cause is especially important for Nerida Ramsey, who has battled brain cancer in her life.
“I first found out something was not quite right when in late November 2016 early one morning at the cafe I had a seizure and woke to find myself in Taree hospital emergency,” Nerida said.
“What followed were scans both in Taree and Port hospitals which would reveal a large brain tumour in my right frontal lobe.”
A few days later, Nerida underwent surgery at John Hunter Hospital and identified a high grade three oligodendroglioma.
Nerida then received 33 rounds of radiation across six weeks and seven months of chemotherapy.
“During radiation I had to leave my husband and four daughters and stay at the Mater Hospital and travel back on weekends,” Nerida said.
“My husband and daughters kept our two family business afloat.”
Nerida outlined how the Mark Hughes Foundation assisted in her recovery.
“Speaking from experience, this is a very hard time for any cancer sufferer to cope through but I would definitely not have coped as well as I did with out the support from family, friends and Sandie Nixon who is my brain care nurse.
“She is fully funded by the Mark Hughes Foundation and was there to guide me through every appointment, every treatment stage and on the phone to answer any question I had.
“She is a true angel,” Nerida said.
Nerida encouraged the community to help support the cause.
“So please buy a beanie, come in and buy a coffee for you, for a friend or for a family member and help this wonderful charity,” Nerida said.
Brain cancer kills more children than any other disease in Australia.
It also kills more people under the age of 40 in Australian than any other cancer.
Survival rates are low and have hardly changed over the last 30 years.
Approximately 1600 brain cancers are diagnosed each year in Australia.
Only two in ten people diagnosed with brain cancer will survive for at least five years.
“I’m going to be one of those two,” Nerida said confidently.
Donations to the foundation can be made at www.donate.markhughesfoundation.com.au/donate/
