The Stawell community has banded together and raised $1550 for former resident Craig Bertram, who was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer last year.
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His mother Jo said she was “devastated” when she first heard about the diagnosis, but the Stawell community had given her the courage to keep going.
“It takes a lot to get your head around,” she said.
“At first you think it must be a mistake, but once more tests are done and it sinks in, you accept this is how we have to live and we have got to help and support him.
“And the Stawell community has just been incredible.”
Ms Bertram’s neighbours Cate and Peter Whitehead donated a painting by Mrs Whitehead’s late mother Eileen Glover, to be raffled.
Ms Bertram and some of her friends had been selling raffle tickets in the last month at Stawell.
“The people of Stawell have been so incredibly supportive and to date they have raised $1550,” Ms Bertram said.
“It has been a giant effort, the people here are so generous and I would like to thank them tremendously.”
Mr Bertram, his wife and three children moved to Ballarat after the diagnosis to gain easier access to medical facilities.
He is now having weekly treatment and Ms Bertram said he was maintaining a positive outlook.
“There is no point dwelling on the negatives; it’s horrendous,” she said.
“It just sends shivers up my spine, but Craig has remained positive, which has really impacted positively on us as a family.
“And we must maintain a positive outlook, we have to keep going, he has three children and we all have one another to look out for.”
Ms Bertram’s neighbour for 16 years, Cate Whitehead, said donating the painting to help support the Bertram family was “without question” the right thing to do.
“My parents died ten years ago and this is something they would have done,” she said.
“They were always giving their work to people.
“I work on instinct and without question this is right, it’s my mother’s legacy passed on to me to do this.”