By Luke Voogt
Leopold hairdresser Abbey Gasparini underwent vital brain surgery last Wednesday thanks to the Geelong public raising nearly $90,000 in less than two weeks.
Ella Gasparini said her 22-year-old sister and her family were overwhelmed by the public support.
“We would like to thank everybody from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and donations they have sent through,” she said.
“It’s going to make her feel so much better.”
Renowned brain surgeon Doctor Charlie Teo removed a pineal cyst in Abbey’s mid-brain on 24 August.
The cyst had been causing chronic pain and pressing on vital structures, and could have led to severe problems if left untreated.
Ella set up a GoFundMe page on 18 August with Abbey’s long-time friends Tara Smith and Sarah Fowler to pay for the surgery.
As of Thursday morning 941 people had raised $89,369 of the page’s goal of $90,000.
“It’s so great that Abby has such good friends and we could make this happen,” Ella said.
However there were complications in the surgery, with Dr Teo having to use an alternative approach to get the cyst out, Ella said.
“We are very grateful to him and his team for getting Abbey smoothly through what was a more challenging operation than all initially anticipated.”
“Abbey has been having a pretty rough recovery for a few days now and is in quite a lot of pain and discomfort.”
Because the surgery took longer it could end up costing more.
“We just don’t know how much,” Ella said.
However, Abbey still wants to donate any leftover money from the surgery, she said.
“She knows a few people with a similar condition who she’d like to donate it to.”
Uno Dance Club donated $2185 from a fundraiser on Saturday 27 August while Salon Symmetry and its clients added $1364 in total on Tuesday.
