Jon and I both attended last weeks Shave Your Lid for Our Kid event at St Martins. For both of us, the emotions of the day made publically thanking everyone overwhelming so we asked that our thank you be emailed.

Our family offers a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been supporting Lachie.

Some of you won’t be aware that Lachie started his first day of school at St Martin’s from hospital. He was on treatment at the time for cancer and the doctors gave us a pass card from hospital so he could attend his first day, on strict instructions that we would have him back at hospital by midday. We pushed the boundaries a little and returned him at 2pm to disapproving looks, but Lachie had had a ball.

From that very first day, St Martins School has been a haven for Lachie. A place of friendship, normality and stability.

We are deeply humbled that once again the St Martins community has stepped in show support for one of their own. To arrive at school on Tuesday to a school hall packed with students, teachers, parents and a unexpectedly large group of brave volunteers was an experience unlike anything we have been a part of. We watched a community come together to normalise one the most confronting aspects of cancer, and in doing so this community helped to make the journey easier for Lachie.

We were in awe of the courage and bravery shown by the volunteers and were moved to tears as we watched many of them battle their own nerves in order to follow through with a commitment they had made to support a fellow student. To see such a display of empathy, solidarity and depth of conviction from such young students was inspiring.

Thank you to everyone for your words of encouragement, your messages of support and your donations. To the volunteers, thank you for challenging yourselves physically and mentally in order to better understand the journey Lachie is on, and to travel it alongside him. And as the weather heats up – make sure your wear your hats!

Thank you seems so inadequate. Our gratitude to you all is immense.

Kelly and Jon Sharpe