Malia Solo often talks about her daughter, Abbey, as though she’s still here.
“She is always full of energy and strength,” she said, referring to her daughter. “She makes the kids feel welcome and included.”
Sitting in a staff room at Mother of God School, Abbey’s old primary school in Ardeer, it is clear Malia is not ready to let go of her darling daughter.
Nine-year-old Abbey succumbed to leukaemia in October 2015, six years after her diagnosis with the cancer that hindered her body’s ability to fight infection.
Malia has returned to the school to talk about a charity she and 14 close friends – many of them parents or teachers at the school – have worked on tirelessly for the past 19 months to fulfil Abbey’s deathbed wish.
That wish was to support families who live in country Victoria or interstate who have children receiving cancer treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
“She saw that being surrounded by family and friends was a major contribution in her getting better,” Malia said.
“She also saw that a lot of patients didn’t have anyone there, so she longed to bring them together [with their families] during their cancer treatment.
“The dream, the foundation is her idea – I only carried it out because that was her last wish.”
This month the A+ Abbey Solo Foundation, as the charity has been named, was officially registered. The charity will help families pay for accommodation costs so they can be close to the hospital where their children are receiving treatment, as well as emotional support.
It’s now working towards holding its inaugural event – a black-tie gala dinner on June 17 at Docklands venue Central Pier.
Malia hasn’t put a figure on how much money they’re expecting to raise.
“We’re hoping for people from the west to come and help us,” she said.
There are 300 seats for sale at $195 each.
Tickets can be purchased online www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=275730.
