In 2019, Horsham residents supported Braxton Williams by raising $49,000 to pay his family's rent, while they stayed in Melbourne to support him through brain cancer treatment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This year, they are supporting him - and others like him - by staying home.
The seven-year-old is continuing his treatment for glioma, which his mother Sarah Lee says makes him more susceptible to serious illness if he contracts coronavirus.
"I was told by the oncologist that when kids come off chemotherapy, you normally allow six months for their immune systems recover," she said.
"Over the last couple of weeks his blood count is dropping, which is unusual. It mans he has little to no immune system at the moment, so if there was a COVID, gastro or flu outbreak he would end up in hospital."
Mrs Lee said the family returned to Horsham in April.
"We got out just before the craziness there, and we were home for about two weeks before I had to return with Braxton for a routine MRI," she said.
"He still has to have those every three months to keep an eye on what's left of his tumour to make sure there are no changes. We went back on the start of this week, and I have to head back for a bone marrow biopsy.
Mrs Lee said some things had become easier, other harder, for her family during the pandemic.
"We have been isolating since Braxton was diagnosed to a degree - it's more strict now, but we've had to be minimal with visitors and not go to playgrounds because of this lower immune system," she said.
"It has been quieter because we haven't had to commute to the (Royal Children's) Hospital multiple times a week, because we can do them on the phone. But with COVID-19 I have had to cancel support workers he was having three times a week, physio and the occupational therapist are on hold."
Mrs Lee said Braxton had not had any chemotherapy since February, which had given him a break. She said she hoped he could return to school with the rest of his class in term four.
National children's cancer charity Redkite drew attention to Braxton's story this week, as part of a fundraising drive.
At any Coles Express, customers have the chance to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar. The extra money will go to Redkite to help them fund fuel vouchers for people fighting cancer and their families.
In 2019, Mrs Lee, Braxton and father Josh Williams were one of these families.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to the Wimmera Mail-Times, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling the Wimmera's story. We appreciate your support of local journalism.