Give a Little, Share a Lot: Help Coby and Kids Like Him
Every day, each of us has the power to change the world—sometimes in ways we never imagined. Today, you have the chance to make a real difference for Coby and for children across Australia battling paediatric brain cancer.
Coby is a remarkable young person facing the toughest challenge of his life: level 4 brain cancer (Diffuse Midline Glioma – DMG). The prognosis is harsh—on average, just 12-18 months to live. But Coby doesn’t see himself as simply unlucky. He calls himself “the luckiest unlucky kid in the world” because he lives in Australia, where world-class doctors and researchers are on the brink of a breakthrough. He dreams of having a long, happy life, studying child psychology, helping others, surfing in Fiji, and spending time with his loved ones and his puppy, Apollo.
Coby’s greatest wish is to be remembered—not just for his fight, but for the impact he can make with your help. He wants to harness the power of community to raise more for paediatric brain cancer research than anyone ever has. The goal is ambitious: $1,000,000.
Can you help?
One thing we’ve learned since Coby’s diagnosis – nothing we achieve is achieved alone. Show Coby and other kids with brain cancer the true power of community – give a little, share a lot, ask your friends, your family to donate – just $2 or $5 – a coffee to you, possibly a chance at life for Coby and other kids just like him.
So that Coby (and his family caring for him) can focus on Coby’s treatment, Coby’s fundraising will be coordinated by our friends at Robert Connor Dawes Foundation – a foundation set up by the amazing Liz Dawes, OAM, after her son Connor, lost his life to brain cancer in 2013. RCD Foundation will direct the funds to ANZCHOG’s projects supporting clinical trials for brain cancer research, supporting kids who live outside major capital cities to be able to take part in clinical trials, and on infrastructure needed for quicker diagnoses, and better overall experience during treatment.
My updates
Reflections and gratitude on a Saturday morning from the hospital
Saturday 14th Mar
It is Saturday morning, and we’ve woken up in hospital in the same room Coby was in when he was diagnosed. It is a lovely room with a view of the mountain.
Somewhere in Australia, another parent is waking up, probably also in a hospital bed or a pull out chair next to their child after one of the worst days of their life. Waking with the morning realisation that the horror of yesterday is their life now, and that their child has a level 4 brain tumour. That they may have a few months, maybe a year to be with their child.
It isn’t meant to be like this.
We don’t yet know how Coby’s story ends. We are nine months in. Will he make the next clinical trial? Will he miss it by a few weeks? Will it cure him? Or do we have even less time than we think we do, and will I wish I’d spent my Saturday morning looking at him rather than typing out this computer screen?
The truth is, none of us know how long we have to be with our loved ones, to feel the sun on our faces, and smell the crisp air. Living with a child with DMG forces you to live knowing precarity all the way to the marrow. With that living without any promises of tomorrow makes you love today – like there is no tomorrow.
This week I shared Coby’s goal, and his fundraiser with friends and colleagues on LinkedIn, and together, they gave a little (some gave a lot!), and shared his message a lot, and now we’ve raised just about $6500. It's amazing. YOU'RE amazing. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
I can tell you that together, we’ve just paid for a researcher to work on paediatric brain cancer research for a week, as well as taking care of sample collection, storage and courier costs for three weeks of a trial, because that’s the actual impact you’ve had.
What I’m really hoping, is that whomever is waking up in a hospital bed after receiving the most devastating news the day before, that they know they are not alone, and that we are all there with them, pulling hard towards a finish line, an end to uncertainty and aching loss.
Once we do it, we’ve changed the narrative forever. Thank you for being part of it. Thank you for taking care of our kids in the middle of all the many demands and uncertainty in the world. It may not seem like much, but to us, its everything.
Share
Thank you for standing with us
Saturday 28th Feb
Hello everyone — and thank you 💛
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for donating, sharing, and cheering us on. Your support is helping fund ANZCHOG’s paediatric brain cancer research, clinical trials, and their mission to improve equity of access for kids from rural and remote areas.
Your gift is making a real, practical difference
One of the biggest things your donations support is the behind-the-scenes work that keeps clinical trials running safely — like supporting with costs for ethics and governance submissions, communication with trial sites and families, managing and protecting children’s trial data and carefully tracking progress at every step. Families may never see this work, but it’s absolutely essential.
Look what you’ve already helped make possible 🙌
Because of this community, Give a Little, Share a Lot has already covered the costs of 5 weeks of sample collection for children in a clinical trial — including storage in controlled freezers and the cost of sending samples safely to a central lab. That’s huge. Truly.
Why today matters
Today is Rare Disease Day (28 February). And while DMG and DIPG are rare — affecting 20–30 kids a year in Australia — they are also the leading cause of cancer-related death for Australian children. We want to change the narrative for these kids. And with your help, we are.
A little personal note
Today’s been a bit of a “meh” day as we head into the next round of chemo — but seeing what we’ve raised (and what it means in real trial costs) genuinely put a smile on our faces. Thank you for giving what you can, and for sharing it with your friends — it’s the power of community, right there.
Thank you for being part of this
We’re incredibly grateful you’ve chosen to stand with kids who need better treatment options. Thank you for helping move this work forward — one gift, one share, one message at a time.
Warmly,
Team Coby
Wow! What a great start, and we haven't even said a word! Thank you all!
Thursday 19th Feb It feels weird and very on-brand to write a first post saying thank you to our community - our friends and family, who have given us so much over the past 7 months, even when we've been basically silent - you, who showed up for us on the first day of diagnosis, even before the first day when we all could see our funny, warm, and bright boy was battling 'something', but we just didn't know what it was. Thank you for being with us each step of the way. In wanting to raise more funds than anyone ever has to support paediatric brain cancer research, Coby has set himself a HUGE goal.Thank you to my donors
$527.50
Piyush Arora
$211
Aidan
$211
Anonymous
Love to Coby and you all xx
$211
Office Vision
Your are an inspiration Coby, keep it up!
$211
All The Beswick’s
Coby we think you are a champion and wish you every success in your endeavours! Nothing but love and respect for your journey. 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈
$206.20
Andrew
$200
Anonymous
$200
Anonymous
$106.12
The Irawan Xo
We are supporting Coby's fundraising goals for this important research and are thinking of him and your family during this critical time. Much love, the Irawan family
$106.12
Morgan Williams
For Coby. Love from the Williams family (Morgan, Tania, Oliver and Evan)
$106.12
Rowan
Your family's strength, especially Toby's, is inspiring. I hope more research offers more time.
$106.12
Heather
$106.12
Liz Selkirk
$106.12
Anonymous
$106.12
Phil Hesketh
$106.12
Marq Mcelhaw
Dare to Dream Coby! Big love to the Metzler Fam 💛
$106.12
Hadley Robin
I saw this shared on LinkedIn from Dan Brown. Sending healing energy to you and your family and wishing you all the best.
$106.12
Alison Jones
Constantly thinking of Coby & of you & pleased to be able to do this tiny thing. Remembering your many kindnesses to me Brigette, I wish there was more I could do. Sending love & support.
$106.12
Anonymous
Brig, wrapping arms around you, Coby and your family. May the community get around this and help Coby towards his generous and lasting goal xx
$106.12
Megan Thompson
Love Meg, Simon, Staci and Delia Thompson
$106.12
Sheetal Agarwal
Sending love and hoping for the best for your family
$106.12
Jane Simmonds
Kia kaha to you and Coby.
$106.12
Miss Jane
You are a truly inspiring young man Coby. Love to you and your family.
$106.12
Anonymous
$106.12
Kerrie Larkins And Peter Derkley
Coby you are an inspiration to Uncle Pete and I with your bravery and will to keep fighting. You have always been so kind and considerate of others as is witnessed by asking for this fund raisers to be set up to help others. We love you
$106.12
Anonymous
Proud of your determination, resilience, strength, generosity and love xxx
$106.12
Carolyb
Right with you on this. Much love.
$106.12
Chris Dolliver
$106.12
Anonymous
$106.12
Sabrina
$103.72
Dimitri Diafokeri
$56.42
Anonymous
$54.12
The Appleyard Family
Lots of love Xxx
$54.12
Emily Daniels
$54.12
Joanne Koreman
What a wonderful thing to do Coby, you're making an impact already
$54.12
Paul Kotz
$54.12
Caylie Panuccio
$54.12
Alice B
<3
$54.12
Rachael Summers
Wishing you, Coby and your family heaps of love and luck
$54.12
Anonymous
$54.12
Elizabeth Creighton
$54.12
Kat And Jakub On Behalf Of Chris
Our little boy had a brain tumour, and thanks to the brilliance of paediatric neurosurgeons, and timelessness of determined fundraisers like you, he's around and his tumour isn't - never lose hope, and we can't wait to see Coby on the other side of this!
$54.12
Anonymous
$54.12
Anonymous
$54.12
Andrew, Meghan, And Jacob
Wishing you the very best of what luck and scientific research have to offer! Much love from Canada!
$54.12
Martin
$54.12
Dannielle Quinn
$54.12
Fiona Scott
$54.12
Backyard Rooms
We are so proud of you Coby, you have been bravely fighting this terrible disease with your Mum at your side and the people who know you cheering you on. You are a very kind and generous person and are still thinking of others as you go through this. You can beat this.
$54.12
Jo
$54.12
Kathryn Whatman
I am so grateful to have met such a wonderful family albeit under such crap circumstance's. I hope my small donation and the donations of others will help with beautiful young people like Coby and the horrible impact this has on their lives and the lives of their families..
$54.12
Felicity Ryan Ballet
Thinking of you guys and sending love ❤️
$54.12
Tina Atkinson
$54.12
Zaphod
$54.12
Min And Gwen
Coby you are a champion and an all round great person
$54.12
Tessa Dellheim
$54.12
Debra Pagel
Sending love from MaxAtkinson’s Aunt from the States. God Bless You 💕
$54.12
Anna Farmery
$54.12
Franco
$54.12
Jen Macqueen
$54.12
Rebecca Davis
$54.12
Tim Edwards
$54.12
Anonymous
$54.12
Christine
You guys have got this x
$54.12
Sarah Kennedy
$54.12
Vb
$54.12
Lisa
All the best Coby and hope you reach your fundraising goal!
$53.52
Caroline J
Thank you Brigitte for everything you've done for the ReOps community. Now's my chance to give a little to help your family and others like them.
$52.92
Anonymous
Força!
$52.92
Anonymous
Your determination, strength and kindness brings smiles to many faces and warms our hearts.
$50
Robyn Moore
$50
Temmy Olasimbo
Wishing you all strength and love in this difficult time.
$50
Anonymous
Sending love and healing wishes to Brigette and Coby!
$50
Leigh Mcgrath
$27.81
Anonymous
$22.58
Diana Pham
Sending love to you and Coby, Brigette xx
$22.58
Megan Scheminske
$22.58
Mark Bryans
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Lizzie R
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Annelise Calzada
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Imran Akhtar
Brigette, You've always are so kind and there for everyone, wanted you to know my family is there for yours too
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Maddi Verrier
You are one amazing woman and Coby is such an inspiration. I am so privileged to look after you both 🤍
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Jo Taylor
$22.58
Anita P
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Richie
$22.58
Claire White
Sending you all the love as a mum of four boys.
$22.58
Shaw
$22.58
Gillian Clarke
$22.58
Anna Mcdougall
$20
Leo Hoar
$11.65
Anonymous
$11.65
Sofia Quintero
Im sending you every bit of good energy I have. I’m sorry this happened. I admire your strength and I’m sending you a big hug. Sofia
$11.65
Josh Lee
$11.65
Emma Boulton
Hugs xx
$11.65
Amanda Winograd
$11.65
Anonymous
$11.65
Brigette Metzler
$11.65
Emilie
❤️ stay strong Coby. You've got this and you know we're all right here backing you and cheering with you every step ❤️ Love your cuz in QLD
$11.65
Anonymous
$11.65
Anonymous
$10
Sarah Goforth
It's not much as I'm not working but I couldn't simply pass by. I wish you a full recovery Coby, and I know the world is better off for you in it.
$10
Anonymous
One day at a time. Cancer sucks and that's all I did, take one day at a time.
$6.13
Sascha
🌈
$6.13
