Michaela Meade
Nine-year-old Ava Pattie recently celebrated two years clear of leukaemia by lending a hand to the launch of the 2021 Good Friday Appeal’s Charity Home Auction at Wollert’s Rathdowne community.
Ava was diagnosed with two strains of the deadly blood cancer when she was 15 months old, and soon underwent six months of daily chemotherapy at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Ava’s mother Jade said the ongoing treatment was tough on the family, but she had faith in the staff at the hospital.
“You just don’t get any better than the Royal Children’s doctors and nurses,” Ms Pattie said.
“They are wonderful, accommodating, selfless people who put the care of your child above anything else.”
Ava is one of the dozens of patients whose handprints are immortalised in a giant painting titled “Waves of Support” included in the no-reserve auction of the Henley Homes/Villawood Properties Charity Home Auction on Friday, April 2.
The painting by Justine Millsom incorporated the hands as leaves after being created on paper by young patients and cut out by hospital staff.
Appeal chairman Penny Fowler said the organisation is grateful for the “ongoing commitment” from Henley and Villawood Properties to support children living with sickness.
“Each year we are so thankful for the community’s personal investment to the Good Friday Appeal through their support of the home,” Ms Fowler said.
Henley Homes Victorian building manager Mark Glenn said the state’s support for the appeal continues to grow.
“When it comes to generosity, you don’t have to look further than our amazing team, trades and suppliers, who year after year continue to support the construction and delivery of a beautiful family home to auction, with 100 per cent of proceeds going to the appeal,” Mr Glenn said.
“Their contribution to the project is invaluable.”
Villawood Properties executive director Rory Costelloe said being able to hold a public auction after the 2020 pandemic forced last year’s into a tender process is exciting.
“It will be great to be back with a live auction so we can get a big crowd with everyone able to really appreciate the great effort that everyone’s gone to, to produce the house,” Mr Costelloe said.
The Charity House Auction has been running for 28 years and has raised over $16 million to date.
