Alicia, jewel of the south

By Kelly Yates
A 10-YEAR-OLD Narre Warren South girl is selling her own hand-made jewellery to raise money and awareness about breast cancer.
Alicia McMahon came up with the idea of selling the jewellery after watching her mother Sandra battle through breast cancer treatment.
Sandra McMahon was affected by breast cancer in February last year.
“I’ve come out of it pretty well, I’m a tough cookie,” she said. “My daughters, Alicia and six-year-old Sarah, and my husband Paul were the ones who gave me strength.”
Mrs McMahon said the breast cancer diagnosis came as a shock to her family.
“We have no family history of it,” she said. “I began feeling really tired and lethargic. I came back from swimming one time and I had a pain in my chest and I couldn’t move my arm above my head. I had tests and they found the tumours.”
Alicia told the News she wanted to sell the hand-made jewellery to help doctors find a cure for cancer.
The Hillsmeade Primary School student has created a range of colourful necklaces, anklets, earrings and bracelets, with her favourite piece being the healing angel earrings.
“Mum and dad got me my first beading set and I loved it. I was inspired to make jewellery and sell it to raise money,” she said.
Alicia is donating 50 cents from every piece of jewellery sold to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
The mother-daughter team set up a stall at Southern Health’s Monash Medical Centre Moorabbin on Tuesday and sold the hand-made jewellery, with prices starting from $4.50, and some teddy bears, pink ribbons and Pink Ribbon Day pens.
Mrs McMahon said it touched her heart that her daughter wanted to help others.
“We have had the toughest year of our lives and Alicia feels this is how we can say thank you to the hospital for saving her mum,” said Sandra.
Anyone interested in ordering Alicia’s hand-made jewellery can call 0425 847 762.