Trinity Anglican College has paid tribute to a young student who died from cancer earlier this year, by raising more than $100,000 for the Leukemia Foundation, making the school the top fundraising team in the nation.
Fourteen-year-old Hunter McBurnie died in January after he was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2017.
Teacher Mrs Megan Craig taught Hunter when he was in year 5 and organised the school's World's Greatest Shave event on Thursday.
"We thought we really had to do something to celebrate his life and his legacy," she said.
"We set the goal at $45,000...we've smashed that, and now we're at $135,000 and more."
Mrs Craig said Hunter had touched the Trinity community.
"We saw his chapped lips when he had chemo, we saw how gaunt he was, we saw how tired he was," she said.
"When he came back, he was so thin, he was so frail, he had missed a whole year of school.
"His family went through hell, we all knew that, his brother Finn was in year 1 when he was diagnosed.
"We've known when he's relapsed and obviously, we really all hoped he'd make it, so it hit us really hard when he didn't."
RELATED NEWS:
Mrs Craig said two busloads of Trinity students and staff attended Hunter's funeral at St Matthew's church in February.
"Some of his year 8 friends were his pallbearers," she said.
"His hearse passed through the college grounds and all of year 5 actually formed a guard of honour."
"It's been really emotional," she said.
"It's been the entire Trinity community that have gotten behind it."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Year 8 student Luella Aldridge, 13, raised more than $6500 to support Hunter and his family, by busking and posting on social media.
She said she'd known Hunter since she was in year 5 and thought he'd laugh if he saw her shaved head.
"Hair isn't really the biggest thing ever," she said.
"Hunter would much rather have a bad haircut and still be here."
Jarrott sisters Alyssa, 11, and Emily, 9, together raised $5276 for the Leukaemia Foundation, in part by running a cake stall.
Alyssa Jarrott said she wanted to shave her head in Hunter's memory.
"I did it because I felt bad for him being sick and all the people out there who have cancer and are sick," she said.
"I felt really good that someone's going to get a wig.
"Because they don't choose to get cancer."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News.
Victoria Ellis
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
