Personal

challenge

turns public support

From page 4

the “snail-mail.”

“Now that she isn't as
mobile as she was, she can't
walk very far. she gets
exhausted,” Joanne said. “It
doesm’t take a lot of energy
for her to walk from her bed-
room to the computer, and
then she can go wherever she
wants.” 7

The Hathaways soon real-
ized how beneficial the
Internet could be for other
sick kids. They are still trying
to get computer and access
time donated to the bone-mar-
row transplant rooms iat
Children’s Hospital.

“The rooms are. sterile;
these kids are not allowed out
and they are completely iso-
lated,” Joanne said. “The
Internet would be perfect for
thern.”

In January, Melinda, her
father David, and David Jz.
decided to build her a home

~ page on the World Wide Web.

Unlike many families who
work together on a project,

- Melinda said they agreed on

almost everything.

“I's grown and taken on a
life of its own,” said her
father,

Even though he said siie’s

_. , Jackson
‘ Beautiful, silver grey Husky
11 mos, neutered
DORIS ORA

Barclay
Jack Russell Terrier
Neutered
DORIS ORR

Yellow Lab/Ridgeback X
Spayed
DORIS ORR

&& A lot of
oncologists from
the hospital have
Started writing to

her since they
found out she
was on the

Internet. BP
— David Hathaway

a private person, Melinda has
reached out through her web
site, and shared a lot about
herself, her family, and her
suffering. The vesponse has
been tremendous.

“She has people writing to
her from all over,” said her
mother. “A fot of the oncolo-
gists from the hospital have
Started writing to her since
they found out she was on the
Intemet.”

Her friends write to her
daily, and she gets a lot.of
mail from other “cancer kids.”
as she cails them.

Her mother said that often

Abner
Shepherd Collie X
8 mos, black/tan
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1!

as

Freddie the Cat
Black & white male, 10 mos
Shy but loves to cuddle
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JUDY STONE

Mocha
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7 mos, female
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something Melinda — has
included on her site strikes a
chord with other children who
are looking for someone who
understands.

Melinda was chatting with
one 12-year-old: girl whose
cancer had relapsed. No one
around her seemed to under-
stand her anger and bitter-
ness, bit she was in constant
contact with Melinda. It was
only after she died and her
mother wrote to invite
Melinda to the funeral that
they discovered the girl was
from San Francisco,

Many of the children
Melinda met at the hospital
have also died, and death is
something the family is being
forced to deal! with.

“You never really adjust."
Joanne said. “Although it’s
devastating for all of us, you
just can't change anything.
Melinda doesn't have a
choice, the botiom fine is that
she has to cope.”

Melinda's father said that
he wil! continue to add to her
web site after she is gone.
And even though they didn’t
plan it as her legacy, through
Melinda's home page she will
always be there to comfort
other sick kids with a few
clicks of a computer mouse.

Lab X, black & brown .
8 years, spayed female
Good with kids
NV SPCA

Orange & white
Spayed female, 8 years
WV SPCA

Black & white
Neutered male, 2 years
WV SPCA

FEDERAL ENVI-
RONMENT Minister
Sergio Marchi (in tie)
talks tidal critters
with Nicole Timko

(teft), Gail Moylan:

and Sara Sparks at
Maplewood
Mudflats. Marchi
visited North Van-
couver to announce
$80,000 In funding
for the Wild Bird
Trust of British
Columbia.

Purebred Shepherd, 9 mos,
female, very small, 45 Ibs
NS ANIMAL ADVOCATES

JUDY STONE
Sf" 5

“Too cute
to print”

Great Dane puppy
4 monihs
NS ANIMAL ADVOCATES
JUDY STONE |.

Bonnie
Dobie x
Spayed ternale, 4 years
PETS LIMITED

Sunday, April 7, 1996 — North Shore News — 11

Marchi at the Mudflats

PREECE HOUR-AVORKS HO
Maximizing Your, After-Tax Incom
Ideal for GIC Investors

MIDLAND April 9 and 11
WALWYN _ 100 Park Roya!

ecue Curr tHincinge

West Vancouver Office
RSVP: Anita at 925-9210 |
'™ BLUE CHIP THINKING is a trademark of Midland Watwyn Capita! Inc.

8 if
“FOR ADOPTION PLEASE CALL:
Doris Orr NV SPCA WV SPCA
987-9015 988-7484 922-4622

NS Animal Advocates Pets Ltd. .
Judy Stone 922-4298 |
926-2068

funded projects

OPEN 10AM TO 5PM MONDAY-SATURDAY §

Centrally located at

a : 99522.
Howe Sound Pet
‘, Services Ltd.

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