On learning that one of the children in her class was diagnosed with leukemia, Gumnuts Early Learning Centre educator Jess Gell shaved her head bald to raise money for three-year-old Daphne.
Sweet, quiet, gorgeous; these are recurrent words used to describe three-year-old Daphne Williams, who is currently receiving medical treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital for leukemia.
Jess Gell knows all too well the stress and heartbreak of having a sick child, making the decision to bid farewell to her hair an easy one.
“We’ve had a sick child ourselves, and he passed away 13 years ago, he had a heart condition – so different circumstances – but I know what it’s like to be stressed about money and all that sort of thing when you’ve got a sick child,” Jess said.
“So that’s why I have chosen to do it.”
Last Friday morning, the outdoor play area of the early learning centre on Raglan Street was inundated with small humans, and big ones, rocking wild and wacky hairstyles as Gumnuts hosted Day for Daphne, a centre-wide crazy hair day fundraiser for their sick classmate Daphne, with Jess’s head-shaving serving as the focal point of the event’s activities.
Despite still developing fundamental life skills such as comprehending spatial awareness, appropriate social behaviours, understanding and expressing feelings, refining motor skills and listening to others, Daphne’s Gumnuts classmates apprehend the situation at hand.
“We’ve been pretty open with them, and they understand that Daphne is very sick and that she is in hospital,” Jess said.
“I just had a chat with a couple of the older ones [children] just before because they asked, ‘Why I am shaving my hair?’, and I explained that Daphne’s medicine sometimes can make their hair fall out, so we’ve done it to raise a bit of money, then that why their family, it helps their family, it helps them stay in Melbourne.”
Rebecca Neeves is not only a Gumnuts Early Learning Centre educator, but the mother of Trey Oliver, a classmate and friend of Daphne.
Day for Daphne and fundraising for the Williams family are largely due to Rebecca’s efforts, who has worked tirelessly to organise and market the event, with funds raised going directly to Daphne and her family via a new bank account.
Rebecca believes the Williams family will warmly receive Day for Daphne, Jess Gell’s head shaving and Gumnuts’ fundraising efforts.
“It would be amazing, so beautiful, just to know everyone does care and we are here to help; they would do it if it was roles reversed,” Rebecca said.
“So brave of Jess; she is amazing, isn’t she?
“Daphy’s mum has got her hair pink, and her dad shaved his head too, which is so sweet.”
While Rebecca doesn’t work in Daphne’s class, she has got to know the sweet little girl well through her son Trey, who has become friends with Daphne, the pair sharing a class at Gumnuts.
Trey and the entire class feel Daphne’s absence.
“They’ve been asking, my son has been asking where his little friend is each day, so yeah, you’ve just got to have those conversations,” Rebecca said.
“My son has never had a haircut, and he is getting a haircut on March 28 for his little friend Daphne.”
Daphne’s mum Janelle says they have been blown away by the support from Gumnuts and the broader Sale community.
“We thought it was absolutely wonderful,” Janelle said.
“It looked like everyone had such an amazing time from all the photos, and Jess letting the kids shave her head is just so brave.
“So unexpected but so deeply appreciated.”
The funds raised, relieving the financial strain on the Williams family as they stay in Melbourne, are just a portion of the support received from the local community.
“The support we have received has been unbelievable,” Janelle said.
“People giving their money, which helps us buy groceries here at the Ronald McDonald house, we will have to be coming to Melbourne for the next few years, and it will continue to help with all that.
“The number of people who have shared kind words, people we haven’t even met reaching out in support.
“We have had people offer to help us with our eldest daughter [Briella] and make us meals; it has just been incredible.”
Daphne’s condition has improved since her admission to the Royal Children’s Hospital. She has since been discharged; however, the family is required to stay at the Ronald McDonald House for some time yet as the three-year-old continues daily appointments.
Even in the darkest times, the hardest, most inconceivable situations a parent could ever face, there is light. Jess Gell’s bravery, sacrificing her hair, Rebeccas Neeves’ compassion and determination, managing the fundraising for the Williams family, and the Gumnuts and broader local community’s overwhelming support – that is the light for Janelle and Riley Williams.
If you would like to make a donation and support the Williams family as three-year-old Daphne undergoes medical treatment for leukemia, you can make a direct bank transfer to:
Account name: Janelle Williams
BSB: 083064
Account number: 760182396
