Three-year-old Harriet Bunting has faced more challenges in her short life than most of us could ever imagine.
Born with a severely restricted airway, she has endured countless surgeries, long stays in the intensive care unit, and more than 30 trips to the operating theatre.
She requires around-the-clock care and has spent much of her life fighting battles no child should have to face.
Fortunately, little Harriet lives with her family in Minmi, a community with a proven track record of helping others.
Minmi residents Jodie Williams, Kelly Case, Karena Keppie and Tracey Medley formed Minmi Community Fundraisers Inc when they joined forces to raise money for another Minmi child, Odyn Horsch, who is fighting a rare cancer.
Show Up for Odyn was held in May, raising more than $50,000 for the Horsch family.
Minmi Community Fundraisers Inc has now turned its attention to Harriet and is organising a family-friendly outdoor cinema event, Let's Shine for Harriet, to be held at Minmi Progress Hall on Saturday, September 12. In addition to movies there will be a red carpet entrance, live music, games, a jumping castle, raffles and best-dressed prizes to be won, face painting, and dinner under the stars.
Also, Harriet loves the colour pink, so Minmi residents are being encouraged to paint the town pink (so to speak) with pink lighting on their homes.
All money raised at Let's Shine for Harriet will be used to support the little girl and her complex medical needs. Harriet's mother, Sophie Bunting, said hiring the specific wheelchair Harriet needs is going to leave the family about $10,000 out of pocket.
And that's just the beginning.
"We were advised that going through an NDIS review to get [the wheelchair] will likely see our plan halved. We can't afford that because it'll mean no support whatsoever and Harriet won't receive the physio and speech [therapy] that she needs," Ms Bunting told Minmi Community Fundraisers Inc.
"Harriet doesn't have a diagnosis. There's nowhere for us to receive any kind of help. There's no label on her to say 'This is where you fit and these are the charities that can assist you'. Nowhere to even send her care packages. No one to talk to who is navigating a similar path.
"All she is known as is 'medically complex' and we get quite literally nothing. It's the most isolating place in the world."
Jodie, Kelly, Karena and Tracey, founders of Minmi Community Fundraisers Inc, are once again rallying their community to support Harriet and her family, whether it's a raffle donation, offering to volunteer their services, attending Let's Shine for Harriet, or simply sharing a Facebook post about the event.
They describe themselves as "four incredibly busy mums brought together by a shared love, compassion and genuine desire to help children and families when they are facing some of the hardest times of their lives".
"What started as one small group message between four women wanting to help has grown into something none of us could have imagined," the women told the Newcastle Herald in a shared statement.
"Together, with the incredible support of our community, that little group message has turned into something capable of genuinely changing people's lives.
"Raising funds for Odyn taught us just how incredible our community really is, and showed us that when people come together for a family who needs support, even the smallest contribution can become part of something huge.
"Whether someone donated money, supplied goods, volunteered their time, shared our posts or simply turned up on the day - every single person played a part.
"Most importantly, we learnt that you don't have to be a big organisation to make a big difference. Four ladies with an idea, a supportive community and a whole lot of determination can achieve some pretty amazing things."
They described Minmi as "a small community with an enormous heart".
"There's a real sense of looking after our own here. Local families, businesses and community members are always willing to donate, volunteer, share, show up and support however they can," they said.
"One of the most beautiful things about Minmi is that you don't necessarily have to know someone personally to want to help them. When one family is hurting, the whole community feels it and rallies around them.
"We've seen firsthand just how powerful this little community can be when everyone comes together for a common cause. Minmi is more than just a suburb, it really does feel like a family, and we're incredibly proud to be part of it."
