Fundraiser for a friend in need

A BENDIGO woman is calling on the community and businesses to come together next month to help raise money for her friend’s funeral.

Jayme Hudson is planning a movie night at the Bendigo Cinemas on Friday, 9 July for Vanessa Makoni, a 26-year-old mum given three to six months to live as her acute myeloid leukemia transformed into myeloid sarcoma.

“It’s not easy to ask for help let alone ask for help for money for my own funeral, it’s really hard but this is what we’ve got to do because we can’t afford it,” Ms Makoni said.

“Otherwise, we’re just going to end up literally burning me and giving me back in a box.

“I don’t think that’s right, my family doesn’t want that for me. We’re doing the best we can, my family and friends, to raise enough money to give me a proper send off.”

Originally, Ms Makoni planned for only a viewing and cremation after her own passing, but Ms Hudson was determined to raise the funds to cover a basic service of around $6000.

“It just didn’t sit right. I said ‘if we found the money, would you go and plan and have a service?’ and Vanessa said ‘I’d love to but how am I going to find that money?’

“I thought ‘yep, I can make this happen’, so I just tried to think of different ways to raise some funds and a friend suggested a movie night through the cinemas, so I spoke to them,” Ms Hudson said.

The $35 tickets to Black Widow include a popcorn and drink combo and raffle ticket, with $17 from each sale going to Ms Makoni’s funeral costs and $18 to the cinema.

Ms Hudson is also asking local businesses to donate what they can to the raffle.

“Being a strong community, I just really want everyone to band together and get behind this family,” she said.

“Any donation or voucher isn’t too little, it’s all going to add up.”

Ms Makoni’s husband, Folau, left his job so the family could be together, and they have since been living off a GoFundMe started by a neighbour in March.

Ms Hudson hopes donations made in the upcoming fundraiser will pass the $6000 mark to ensure her friend gets the service she wants, like upgrading her casket to a white one.

“All of that’s really pushed me to try harder and raise as much as we can,” she said.

Any money that remains after these service upgrades will be put towards future costs for Ms Makoni’s daughters, Havana, five, and Haizel, three.

“If there is any money left over, I don’t want to use that for myself because it’s useless for me to buy any material things or anything like that,” Ms Makoni said.

“I want to save that for any costs that my kids might have in the future for their school or anything like that, just practical stuff.”

Movie ticket purchases and business enquiries can be made by contacting Ms Hudson on 0417 501 898 or [email protected].

Donations can also be made via a direct bank deposit to the Fundraiser For Ness account, BSB: 063-599, account number: 1017 9442, or via the GoFundMe at gofund.me/9034f0b2.