DUNNVILLE — Dealing with cancer has not been easy for Dunnville resident Grace Hoard.
Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, she has endured months of chemotherapy to try and shrink a currently inoperable nine-inch tumour in her chest that is now impacting her heart, lungs, and spine.
The process has been made harder due to Hoard’s life circumstances.
Self-employed and without health insurance, Hoard has relied on her savings over the past eight months of treatments at The Walker Clinic. Unable to work and not approved for government assistance, she has since acquired a significant amount of debt.
Those close to Hoard have rallied around her, launching an online fundraising auction to get some much-needed funds to Hoard while she continues her treatments.
Hoard’s aunt Toni Hayes is one of the administrators of the auction. On the Facebook group page for the auction, Hayes said her hope is that Hoard can “focus on healing instead of worrying about becoming homeless.”
Running until October 7, the auction can be found on Facebook by searching for ‘Auction in Support of Grace Hoard’.
As of publication, the group had over 250 members. There is already a wide variety of donated items up for bid, including some gorgeous art pieces, a double-level air fryer, and other home items. There is a teen artist offering hand-drawn cards, all kinds of clothing and makeup, alongside hand-crocheted items, with surely even more goods to come up for bidding over the following days.
“Grace has faced many challenges throughout her young life. Despite these obstacles, her resilience, strength, and determination inspire those around her. While her journey has been marked by adversity, Grace’s courageous spirit shines through,” said Hayes of her niece.
Hayes has been heartened by the outpouring of community support already on display with the auction and hopes to see even more members of the community jump in to either donate items or browse and bid on those up for sale.
“The response has been overwhelming, with generous donations from local businesses and individuals,” said Hayes. “We’re deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and encourage continued participation in the auction. For those who can’t participate financially, messages of encouragement and help spreading the word are also invaluable.”
Bidding on all items will close at 6 p.m. on October 7, so if you see something you like, be sure to set a reminder to get those last-minute bids in before someone else does.
All proceeds from the auction will be donated directly to Grace to assist with her living and treatment expenses.
Hayes concluded, once again thanking participants for being part of her niece’s recovery: “Your kindness will make a tangible difference in Grace’s journey. Your support reminds her she’s not alone, and that’s priceless.”
