Victoria’s greyhound racing community showed it has the heart of a Group 1 champion when it raised $126,101 for the 2022 Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Good Friday Appeal.
The Easter period saw greyhound racing conducted on Good Friday for the first time at Healesville, Traralgon and Geelong, while the Warragul and Sale clubs bookended our industry’s weekend RCH fundraising activities.
While contributing to the RCH appeal, Sale Greyhound Club went a step further with a special $9502 raised to help the family of three-month old Cash Neilson (pictured above).
Cash, a Monash Medical Centre IVF baby, was found to have a serious heart defect during an in-utero scan at 20 weeks.
Doctors confirmed Cash had congenital heart disease (CHD) somewhat preparing parents Jarrad and Krystal for the challenges that would lay ahead once he was born.
Scheduled to undergo his first heart surgery later this year when six months of age, Cash had an earlier than expected hospital stay after contracting COVID-19.
Cash Neilson, above left, soon after birth, and right, at home with his brothers and sister.
He is likely to be in hospital after surgery for up to one month with follow-up visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital in the years to come.
Family and friends have rallied around the Neilson family so mum, dad and big brothers Cohen, Judd, Logan and sister Maci can spend time by his side in the city as he fights his heart challenges.
As part of its community contribution, Sale Greyhound Club makes its facilities available each Sunday for not-for-profit fund-raising activities.
Club Membership Manager, Michelle McQuillen, secured the facilities for the Easter Sunday meeting and organised auctions and raffles for the community to contribute to making little Cash’s family’s challenges a little easier. Read more
– This article was written by Tony Homfray
WATCH: The face of GRV’s Good Friday Appeal fundraising efforts, Kaylene Harley meets one of her heroes, rugby league superstar and GRV’s Rehoming Ambassador Ryan Papenhuyzen.
