Young Nethercote woman, Brooke Carter, who was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease known as Goodpasture Syndrome in October 2014 – is to undergo a kidney transplant in February 2017.
Brooke is a recipient of the Lorna Millgate Scolarship grant, a Grand Lodge administered trust fund, and is sponsored by Lodge Pambula Daylight. The Lodge has carefully watched her progress over the past 3 years and is now in a position where it is felt that some support is necessary and desirable not only from the sponsoring Lodge but other Lodges in the District and South East NSW Freemasons generally.
From the Eden Magnet weekly news of 26th October 2016:-
OPERATION HOPE: Brooke Carter, who will undergo a kidney transplant after contracting a rare autoimmune disease, with her mother Lee.
Brooke is currently dealing with kidney failure and must have dialysis for nine hours every night which she does herself in her flat.
Her father, Jeff, is donating a kidney to Brooke and with it being almost a perfect match, doctors say the outlook is promising.
Brooke, now 23 and living in Wollongong, completed Year 12 at Eden High School and then took a gap year before studying nursing at the University of Wollongong.
Despite her illness, Brooke will graduate next month and has been offered a nursing position in Shellharbour next year.
Goodpasture Syndrome occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. People with this syndrome develop substances that attack a protein called collagen in the filtering units of the kidneys.
Brooke’s mother Lee, Jeff, and sisters Jo, 21, and Stef, 17, live in Nethercote. Lee previously worked in the Commonwealth Bank in Eden and currently works at Target in Merimbula; Jeff works for himself as a sheet metal worker. Brooke’s high school sweetheart, Brett Spicer, has been a pillar of strength.
Fundraiser Jasmine Davis said that meeting Brooke and her family at the family home in Nethercote was a lovely experience.
“They are all so very close, and grateful to Operation Orange and Black and the community for the help they are going to receive for the associated costs of the transplant and medications,” Ms Davis said.
Street stalls, selling cupcakes, will be held in the coming weeks, and an acrylic glass photograph donated by local photographer Phil Small will be raffled.
A cake stall will be held tomorrow, Friday, October 28, at 10am outside IGA."
UPDATE as of 3rd December: Brooke has passed her exams both written and practical. All she has to do now is wait for her qualification certificate, her registration as a Nurse and then attend her graduation ceremony next year.
Update 17th February: Operation today all OK and both Brooke and Dad well. New kidney doing what it needs to do. Fantastic news.
Update 3 March: Brooke is now out of hospital and everything is working as it should. Thanks for your support to this worthy cause. A young lady now has her life back.
Update April 2017: The fund is now closed having raised $6,400 plus another $951 raised by the Pambula Surf Club with a raffle.