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We have featured many books and authors on Australian Women Online over the years, but none so precious as You Have to Go Through a Storm to Get to a Rainbow by 12 year old Dainere Anthoney.
After being diagnosed with Medulla Blastoma (a brain tumour) last year, Dainere began writing a blog about her thoughts and experiences as the illness took over her life. When asked by the Starlight Children’s Foundation to nominate a wish, Dainere said all she wanted was to turn her blog into a book to help other kids. Starlight and a group of dedicated donors and volunteers worked together to make Dainere’s wish a reality. Her book was launched in Canberra last week during a celebration attended by more than 150 supporters, MPs and Starlight representatives.
Dainere’s book, You Have to Go Through a Storm to Get to a Rainbow, tells the story of her journey through numerous surgeries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Speaking at the launch of her book, Dainere said the launch was ‘a dream come true’. “It felt really magnificent, I felt like a princess,” she said. “It means I can now help other people who are going through similar things to me.”
“It was huge to see her smile,” said Dainere’s mother Yvonne. “She just sparkled and we haven’t seen that for a long time, it was beautiful.”
Starlight’s Wishgranting program is one of six very important programs run by Starlight runs to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families. These programs are an integral part of the children’s total paediatric care.
Starlight’s major fundraising event, Starlight Day, is on Friday, 7 May 2010. This year the foundation is aiming to raise the $2.8 million needed to effectively maintain its programs across Australia.
To help Starlight make a difference, people can buy merchandise at train stations shopping centres and other community hubs across Australia on Starlight Day and throughout the weekend, or they can donate online at www.starlight.org.au.
Dainere Anthoney continues to blog about her experiences at: www.dainere.com, and her book is available for purchase at Borders, Angus & Robertson and online at www.dainere.com.