Music to ease financial pain

Warrnambool Standard 9th July 1999 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1999. All rights reserved

      Other guitars will help raise money for Christopher Pyke at concerts to help defray
      medical costs faced by his mother Donna Bannister and her partner John Maroniti.

THE plight of south-west Victorian lad Christopher Pyke has brought together bands from around the district to raise money for his family. Christopher, 13, suffers from a rare form of acute myeloid leukaemia and has undergone nearly four months of treatment in Melbourne. After months of supporting Christopher, his family members are "putting up their  hands" to ask for help with the costs associated with the frequent trips.  The accommodation, food and transport bills are adding up for Christopher's mother, Donna Bannister, of Warrnambool, who shares the care of her four children with Christopher's father Malcolm, of Portland. Donna's partner Johnny Maroniti has taken on extra work to help support the Warrnambool half of the family. "When a crisis like this occurs, you're suddenly faced with two sets of shopping costs and it's like we've lost a wage," Mr Maroniti said.  To help with the costs, district bands have pulled together to donate their time and effort in a fund-raising concert at the Hotel Grand in Warrnambool on August 1. The hotel has donated the venue.  Port Fairy Hospital has donated a spinning wheel and there will be raffles throughout the day to raise extra money.  The benefit concert will be held in the afternoon to accommodate families.  In addition to the Warrnambool concert, country singer Lee Kernaghan will donate his time at a concert for Christopher in Portland on September 15. Due to his illness, Christopher cannot be in public places for fear of contracting infections, which means he will  miss the fund-raising events. He is disappointed about that, but with a good-natured smile said he "appreciated all  the effort". This week has been the first in four months that Christopher's blood cell counts have been high enough to enable  him to go home.  The money raised from the Warrnambool concert will allow the Warrnambool half of Christopher's family to keep  up their support.

      . . . (Report: REBECCA TROTT. Picture: DAMIAN WHITE)