In the early hours of 2 August, Laura’s life changed in an instant. A faulty power pack sparked a fire that quickly tore through her home, destroying the place she had renovated herself with so much love, effort, and care.

In an extraordinary act of courage, Laura managed to save both herself and her special needs son, Clancy, by smashing a window to escape the flames.

Laura is now recovering in ICU with burns to her airways caused by smoke and hot gases. We are incredibly grateful that her doctors expect a full recovery, and that Clancy has already been discharged from the Royal Children’s Hospital.

While Laura is beginning to turn a corner in her recovery, the road ahead is still incredibly difficult.

The fire has left her with almost nothing. Everything inside her home has been destroyed, and when she is well enough to leave hospital, she will be starting again from scratch.

Although Laura’s home is insured, contents were not covered. This means there are immediate essential costs, as well as the significant expense of setting up a home again once she is able to do so.

We are hoping to ease some of that burden by helping Laura replace the basics she will need to rebuild her life, clothing, household essentials, furniture, and everyday necessities.

If you are able to contribute, no matter how small, it will make a real difference. If you can’t donate, sharing this page with your family, friends, and community would mean just as much.

Thank you for helping Laura and her family take the first steps forward after this devastating event.