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Nelly is 16, in Year 10 at high school, and she’s no stranger to asthma. She’s seen it affect her friends and family, but it was losing her 17-year-old cousin Breah that truly opened her eyes to the devastating impact asthma can have. Nelly knew she had to do something meaningful in Breah’s memory, so in November 2022 she made a bold decision – Nelly shaved her head to raise funds for Asthma Australia, honoring Breah’s life and bringing awareness to the seriousness of asthma.
The shave took place at a family BBQ, where they auctioned off the first cut. To everyone’s surprise, it went for $300!
“It was a good day,” Nelly recalls.
“My cousin cut the first strand of my hair. Then we buzzed it all off from there.”
Nelly wasn’t alone that day, three of her friends and another cousin surprised her by shaving their heads too. One of them was Nelly’s lifelong friend Jeremy, fondly known as JJ.
The community rallied behind Nelly. Her school organised a fundraiser with a dress-up day, a raffle at a community event, and a Paint & Sip night where they sold the paintings to raise even more money. Nelly had initially set a fundraising target of $1,000, but to her amazement, she raised a huge $5,818.
“It felt good, when people were putting a tonne of money in. It was amazing to do that for Breah,” she says.
“I was only 14 at the time, and there are people who have never raised that much money.”
Now, with most of her hair grown back to shoulder length, Nelly is embarking on a new challenge: the Asthma Huff & Puff. She’s taking on this challenge alongside JJ, who knew Breah too. The two of them will walk 1.5 kilometres every day in their hometown of Glen Innes, aiming to walk a total of 15 kilometres by the end of the challenge.
“We’ll probably walk from my house to Jeremy’s and back,” Nelly says.
Their goal is to equal their previous fundraising record of $1,000. Spreading the word through social media, Nelly and her fantastic supporters are asking family and friends to get involved in their mission, and their school is helping to spread the word by putting it in their newsletter. But for Nelly, it’s not just about the money.
“I want the money we raise to help people breathe better,” she explains.
“I want it to help people with asthma who can’t afford treatments. I want to do something to help them out.”
Nelly’s determination is inspiring, and she’s turning her love for her cousin Breah into a mission to help others with asthma. Every step she takes in the Asthma Huff & Puff is not just for Breah, but for everyone living with asthma. Nelly’s story shows how one person, no matter their age, can make a huge difference in the lives of others.