With young Hailey Pettit expected to be in hospital for leukemia treatment for another six to eight months, family, friends and even people who don’t know her are helping out.
Hailey has begun her fifth round of chemotherapy.
She, and her mom Sherry, have been at BC Children’s Hospital since January 5 when she was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Leukemia.
Team Hailey t-shirts are on sale at her school, Thornhill Primary, where a fun day is also being planned and a dance with a live band is also in the planning stages. Students sent valentines to her last month.
Ecole Mountainview students who heard about Hailey held a fundraising dance and are collecting pledges until April 3 – the student who raises the most money gets to shave the head of teacher Eric Gearey.
And it doesn’t matter that the students don’t know her.
“You can feel good that you can help her get better and help her to live a longer life,” said Ecole Mountainview Grade 4 student Ethan Campbell. He filled up one pledge sheet, raising $146 so far, and is looking to get many more names and donations.
Donation jars are set up at businesses around town and a Team Hailey account is collecting donations at the Northern Savings Credit Union. There’s an ongoing bottle drive with several bins full of empties at her dad Ted Pettit’s place.
A recent online auction was held and a lunchtime barbecue raised more money outside Walmart two weekends ago. The Terrace Classics Hockey Club has also donated $500.
Team Hailey t-shirts are also available from Fern Driediger.
For updates on Hailey and details on fundraisers, see the Team Hailey page on facebook.