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A community has spread its arms open wide for a little girl and her family after they were rocked with bad news recently.
Mia Bennett is no stranger to the cycle of hospital visits, tests and recovery after being diagnosed with Medulloblastoma in 2019.
After a series of procedures, tests and operations Mia had come out the other side with a positive outlook on life and was as cheeky as ever. However, recent scans and tests showed new and changing growths, a cause for concern and a new, tough road ahead for the Bennetts.
Stories from 2019
"...at her three-monthly MRI checkup - we got the call that there was a spot found on the bottom of Mia's spine and later more growing spots on her brain," Mia's mother, Stacey Bennett said.
"The doctor said 'we need to come back down for a spinal tap. [He] wasn't sure but it looked like she had relapsed, a follow up was hopeful with scans showing no change."
As time went and the familiar pattern of tests and nervous waits continued, it became clear that Mia had relapsed.
With doctors ruling chemotherapy out owing to its associated risks and treatment options dwindling, the family have in some ways found themselves back at the beginning.
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"He [doctor] said, 'I can get you through this year and I hope I can get you through 2024, but I just don't know'," Stacey said.
Mia faces 17 rounds of radiation, Monday to Friday with the family travelling back to Mudgee on weekends. Chemotherapy however is back on the table if radiation doesn't work and doctors have said that there is a 10 per cent chance of success in eliminating the cancer.
The family is now looking at alternative treatment options, including a hypothermia-based treatment in Germany.
Following the emotional announcement on social media - wasting no time - a group of dedicated and generous community members stepped up and immediately began offering ways to help the Bennett family.
The overall goal of the fundraising event is to support the family financially in any way that is needed. Something Stacey said she does not take for granted.
"It's very comforting and it kind of makes me feel quite safe, weirdly. I makes me feel safe that I'm not alone," Stacey said.
"I quite often think about people that move areas or have nobody that would actually be dealing with something like this and not have the support of anybody or even have the opportunity to go overseas and help their child."
One those helping the family is Kelly Dray, who said there was such an interest in helping the Bennets that she knew something needed to done.
An event, A Night for Mia is set to be held on March 25. For $101 per ticket participants will board a coach from Mudgee or Gulgong with the destination being a total mystery.
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'Ticket Holders will end the night 'with a full belly and a happy heart with the knowledge you have made a difference to a family who wants nothing and deserves everything,' says the event description.
"Quite a few people messaged me and said 'if there's anything we can do' - 'what do they need for this next step?'," Kelly said.
"I think the community determined that something needed to happen."
The effort is thanks to dozens of residents across the Mid-Western region who are volunteering or offering their services for the event in the form of catering, makeup, transport and accounting - the latter of which will be handled by the Lions Club who is taking care of the administration of donated funds.
"We could not have activated our fundraising efforts as quickly as we have without the support of our local Lions Club. This is peace of mind that every dollar will go to Mia's family, and allow them to make whatever decisions they need to regarding their mental and physical health," Kelly said.
"If you see the Lions Club selling tickets or fundraising when you are out and about, we hope you will thank them by supporting them in any way you can."
More details can be found for A Night for Mia at the Mudgee Guardian What's On Guide and on social media at the Mia's Journey page.
Mia isn't letting anything get her down. When told about the prospect of new treatments and tests in Sydney, she had other things on her mind.
",,,I said 'we have to go back down and we have to have some more treatment'... and she's like 'oh, does that mean I can have more frappes at Starbucks mum?'," Stacey laughed.