22/07/2026
Every year, Sound Bites chooses a charity to support through fundraising and the donation of our time. This year, our hearts are with the Avery family.
Abbey and Dane are the proud parents of four beautiful children: Lucinda, Angus, and three-year-old twins, Elsie and Thomas.
On 10 January 2026, Elsie was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an aggressive and devastating brain cancer that is currently inoperable and has no known cure. The family were given the unimaginable advice to go home and “make memories.”
Despite this heartbreaking diagnosis, there is hope. A promising new treatment is currently being developed for children with DIPG using tumour DNA to create a personalised mRNA vaccine. While Elsie is not eligible to participate in the clinical trial, she is able to access the vaccine directly from the Canadian manufacturer. The challenge is the cost.... approximately $400,000.
This year, Sound Bites is dedicating all of our fundraising efforts to helping Elsie access this potentially life-changing treatment.
Throughout the month of August, our team will split into two groups, each aiming to run or walk 100 kilometres. Every step we take will be inspired by Elsie’s beautiful smile, her incredible courage, and the hope of giving her every possible chance.
If you would like to support our challenge and help Elsie and her family, we would be incredibly grateful for a donation. Please click the link below to contribute directly to the family’s GoFundMe page.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Support-for-Abbey-and-Dane
Every donation, no matter how large or small, will make a meaningful difference. Thank you for helping us support Elsie and her family during this incredibly difficult journey.
