The Kalgoorlie community has come together to help a family in need and also raise a record fundraising total for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
More than 400 people attended the Kalgoorlie Race Course on Friday 6 March for the ‘Night under the stars for Starlight’ cocktail party event.
Starlight supports seriously ill children in WA, by aiming to brighten up their experience in hospital.
Event organisers Phil and Haylie Dowson have hosted Purple Haze Parties over the past five years and this year’s event raised more than $60,000 for the children’s charity.
Get involved in the Starlight Purple Haze Game
But in the lead-up to the big night, Phil and Haylie’s youngest daughter Tayten became unwell and was admitted to Kalgoorlie Hospital.
Tayten was diagnosed with a bowel disease in 2013 and over the last few years has spent a considerable amount of time in and out of both the Kalgoorlie Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth.
But with the help of close friends the party was able to go ahead and Tayten was well looked after.
“I had a sixth sense feeling that this year, like many others, may be a little bit difficult with Tayten’s health issue,” Haylie said.
“We had our backup plan ready to go and kicked in quite early.
“We relied heavily on our friends, family and the community of Kalgoorlie and everything pulled together really well.
“Everyone stepped up to help us achieve our goals.”
It’s a sign of Tayten’s character that even while she was sick in hospital, she was encouraging her mum to go to the party.
“She told me ‘mum you have to go, there are kids that are sicker than me that need you to go'" Haylie said.
“That was one of the most moving parts of the weekend, she was the voice I needed to hear to get me up and to the event.”
The weekend was an emotional rollercoaster for the Dowson family, and although Tayten was granted leave to attend the cocktail party on Friday night, she spent the rest of the weekend in Kalgoorlie Hospital.
“We were on a massive high after the party on Friday night, then I spent all day Saturday in the hospital feeling emotion,” Haylie said.
“I was tired and exhausted, yet elated and very proud that we had pulled it off.”
Tayten’s condition has since become a little more critical, she is now in care at Princess Margaret Hospital after being flown to Perth via the Royal Flying Doctor Service on Monday afternoon.
“As soon as we are allowed out of isolation, Tayten and I will follow the yellow star all the way to the Starlight Express Room,” Haylie said.
“She’s already told me that she’s looking forward to that.”
Stay tuned for a special feature on Tayten Dowson and Freo star Chris Mayne in the upcoming Docker magazine.
