A GoFundMe was launched for Starla Szarek, a four-year-old in Lake Country who had brain surgery for a tumor and is expected to begin chemotherapy later this month. (Madison Szarek/GoFundMe)

By Liam Verster

Over $14,000 Donated

Fundraiser goal reached for Lake Country girl with brain cancer

Feb 8, 2023 | 2:21 PM

A GoFundMe campaign supporting a local girl with brain cancer has surpassed its goal.

Madison Szarek launched the GoFundMe for her four-year-old daughter, Starla, who was recently diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, an aggressive cancerous tumor, in the back of her brain.

Szarek said in the GoFundMe summary her daughter had surgery in late January to remove close to 95 per cent of the tumor, and is expected to begin chemotherapy around Valentine’s Day. The treatment is suspected to take seven to nine months and has a 40 to 50 per cent success rate of permanently curing the disease.

“I was so angry that her tumour wasn’t discovered sooner until i was told that tumours going unnoticed for as long as hers did is unfortunately pretty common in children,” Szarek told Vernon Matters in an emailed statement.

“She’s my best friend and i don’t know what i’d do without her. I just hope she pulls through this and can go back to the kind of life all kids her age deserve to have.”

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Szarek launched the fundraiser Thursday, Feb. 2, with the goal of raising $10,000 to help cover expenses such as flying to Vancouver for treatment at B.C. Children’s Hospital, food, and general medical care.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, Szarek’s goal was met and surpassed, with 160 donors contributing $14,757 to her cause.

Eight people shared words of support on the GoFundMe page, including Doug Edgelow ($2,000) saying “stay strong and BELIEVE,” Anita Taylor ($600) saying “Madison; We are praying for Starla!” and Kyle Crawford ($500) saying “We’re here to support.”

“The amount of support we’ve been getting is unreal to me and i’m so blown away with how many people we’ve reached. I was really worried about money and thought we’d be struggling a lot,” wrote Szarek.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for everything they’ve done for us so far. This whole experience has been incredible and eye-opening.

“It was my family’s idea to make a GoFundMe page. I didn’t want to because I didn’t think it would get anywhere. Man was I wrong and thank goodness I listened to them!”.

Donations can still be made to the cause online.