Emme is a beautiful little girl who should be at the park today. She should be going to kindy, making friends and feeling healthy. She should not be asking if she has to have "Captain Chemo" today or worried about a feeding tube in her nose again.
She shouldn't have NF1, but this is her reality and it is tough. Not just for her, but also for her family.
Emme has a low grade brain stem glioma. Sound scary? It is! Due its location on the brain stem, it is inoperable. It is where all sub-conscious bodily functions like breathing, swallowing and even sleeping are controlled.
In March 2018, Emme started a 12 month course of Chemo to try and reduce the size of her tumour. The weight fell off her small frame, food became intolerable and pain became her normal.
The day her hair started falling out in chunks was devastating and watching it dangling from her little fingers was shocking for Mum, Zoe.
In spite of everything, Emme laughs often and hard. She is clever, curious and strong, and she reminds us what it truly means to be brave.
Her story has also inspired the owners of Petit Barcelona to do what they can to support her and other children just like her.
Husband and wife duo, Helios and Lauren were born on opposite sides of the world, but have created a life where their work fits into their lifestyle. They work with a well-known family of artisan shoemakers in Menorca to design and hand-craft original Spanish leather Avarca sandals that are sold online and through their store in Brisbane. For them it has always been about bringing a piece of Spain to Australia in the most authentic way, but for the first time they have designed a pair of sandals for girls that will not only bring joy to those who wear them, but also hope to those living with NF.
Petit Barcelona have created a beautiful pair of sparkly children’s sandals, lovingly called “Emme’s Shoes” - with 100% of the profits to be donated to the Children’s Tumour Foundation to help make the dream of a Brisbane based clinic that supports families with kids just like Emme a reality.
What started as a casual acquaintance with Emme’s Mum, Zoe (a lover of sparkly sandals herself) has grown into something quite extraordinary, with people from all corners of the globe lending both sympathy and support. It just goes to show that what we crave most in this world is the opportunity to connect with something real and purposeful.
This page has been created in response to the outpouring of support from a global community wanting to know how to contribute beyond the sale of the shoes. You are welcome to donate directly to the Children's Tumour Foundation page or through this page.
Any donation over $2 is tax deductible.
We want to sincerely thank Lauren and Helios for their love, generosity and support for Emme and her family.
“Emme’s Shoes” may have started with this one brave little girl’s story, but the ripple effect of their generosity will be felt well beyond it.
To grab your own pair of Emme’s Shoes click HERE