Richard and Tracy Smith

Please Help the Smith Family Through Their Toughest Time

This page has been created by a few close friends to reach out to the kind, supportive people in our community. We’re asking for your help to ease the pressure on the Smith family, who are going through something no family should have to face.

Some of you already know their story. For those who don’t, our dear friend Richard Smith was diagnosed last year with a grade 4 Glioblastoma, which is an unforgiving fast-growing brain tumour. The prognosis was about 12 months. Since then, Richard has been through surgery, radiation and six months of chemotherapy. All of this was just to try and slow things down.

Then came the blow we all feared. The tumour came back. Richard had to go through a second brain operation. And just 12 hours after the first surgery, while in ICU, he had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest. It was a horrific day. Waiting, hoping, not knowing. The team at Wollongong Hospital brought him back, and for that we’ll always be grateful.

Richard and Tracy have handled all of this with so much strength and grace. They’ve never complained. They even rallied friends and family to walk for brain cancer and raised over $21,000. That’s just the kind of people they are.

But now they need help. The financial toll is massive. Ongoing treatments, hospital stays, the cost of just getting by. Tracy has had to stop working to care for Richard full-time. It’s all piling up, and they can’t do this alone.

So we’re asking, from the bottom of our hearts, please give what you can. Every little bit helps. Let’s take some of the weight off their shoulders and show them they’re not in this fight by themselves.

Please donate, share this, and spread the word. The Smiths have given so much to so many. Now it’s our turn to give back.