Trade students from The Gordon TAFE have joined forces to raise funds for medical treatment for a local cancer survivor who was again battling the disease.
Jacqui Chew was previously diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 and went into remission after six months of treatment, but found out recently her cancer had returned.
Her husband Des Low is a cleaner at The Gordon’s East Geelong campus and the news spurred students to come together for a fundraising project.
The TAFE’s carpentry and painting students have combined their skills to build and decorate a cubby house to be auctioned.
Students studying the Certificate III in Carpentry constructed the cubby house which was then decorated by first and second year apprentices completing a Certificate III in Painting and Decorating at The Gordon’s East Geelong Campus.
Painting and decorating teacher Paul Webb said it was exciting for the students to get involved in the project.
“Volunteering for community projects such as this helps our students to feel good about themselves as they’re giving back,” he said.
“It also helps them to build relationships with their peers and grows their self-confidence when they see what they are able to achieve.”
Driving the fundraising project was The Gordon’s pluming, carpentry and high-risk programs business manager David King.
He said The Gordon’s plumbing students had already raised $7000, and more fundraising projects were in the pipeline to further assist the Chew family.
“We wanted to do something positive for Des and his family who have already been through so much,” he said.
“We reached out to our students who have banded together to support and raise much needed funds for the cancer treatment.”
Anyone looking to make an offer on the cubby house, with all proceeds going toward medical treatment for Mrs Chew, can contact David King at dking@gordontafe.edu.au.
