Khush De Rose visits Thomas Mitchell Primary School as students Luka, Jemma, Mary, Kyle, Hssna, Rhadika, Jayden, Mateo, Ali and Tatjana raise money for the Isabella and Marcus Fund, a charity set up to raise money for research into the rare brain tumour which killed Mrs De Rose’s daughter, Isabella.53165
By Kelly Yates
THOMAS Mitchell Primary School students wore free dress to school last week and donated nearly $1400 to the Isabella and Marcus Fund, a charity set up to raise money for research into a rare brain tumour that killed one of their classmates.
Isabella De Rose lost her life to Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) in 2008, a tumour which occurs in the brainstem.
The tumour progressively robbed the six-year-old of her motor functions, causing permanent double vision, paralysis, loss of speech and her capacity to swallow and breathe.
Six months after Isabella’s diagnosis, she drew her last breath lying between her parents Rob and Khush De Rose at their Endeavour Hills home.
Thomas Mitchell Primary School principal John Hurley said the free dress day was “spectacular.”
The school raised $1397.70 for the charity fund, which was set up by Mr and Mrs De Rose and Daniela and Tony Ruberto, a couple who also lost their child Marcus to the same type of tumour.
Mrs De Rose said one of the students at the school, who was Isabella’s best friend, donated $50.
“It was an amazing feeling. There are no words to describe the feelings I had when I saw the kids in their free dress,” she said.
“I give a big thankyou to the school.”
Mr Hurley said Isabella’s death was a shock to whole school community
“It was a horrific time for the community. To see a beautiful kid, so bright and happy and enthusiastic fade away was terrible,” he said.
“The kids wanted to be involved and help raise money at the free dress day. But it was a sensitive time for those who were in the same class as Isabella.”
Mr Hurley said the school would hold a free dress day every year – and donate the money raised to the Isabella and Marcus Fund.
Mr and Mrs De Rose are hoping to establish a research laboratory to develop treatments for DIPG and ultimately find a cure.
The Isabella and Marcus Fund is a sub-fund of the Melbourne Community Foundation, a not for profit organisation, which administers the fund.
Visit www.isabellaandmarcusfund.org.au for details.
