Mya Williamson of Moncton knows all about having to be brave. The 12-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumor on her pituitary gland and had to undergo two complex brain surgeries at only 7 years of age
“It was freaky because it was something new and scary,” Williamson said.
It’s been five years since Mya’s tumor was removed and, except for a few complications, her overall health is good. But, her dad Mike Williamson still worries about her health.
READ MORE: New Brunswick child with rare bowel disease healthy after surgery in U.S
Guided by his daughter’s fearlessness however, he chooses instead to focus on what she is now doing to help others.
“You know she has taught us a lot about not complaining and helping others,” said Mike.
Which she is now doing one stone at a time.
For the past year, Mya has been making what she calls “Mya’s Brave Stones,” which are colourful magnets she crafts herself and sells for a few bucks a piece, donating the money to the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax.
The brave stones are made from glass, are hand-painted with nail polish and glitter, and to Mya represent courage, which she hopes to pass on to others, she said especially sick kids.
“They can look at these and say ‘I can be brave,'” Williamson said.
WATCH: Creating hope and raising funds for autism one T-shirt at a time
Mya has already sold more than a thousand brave stones and wants to sell at least 2,000 more.
But what is most impressive is what she wants to do long-term to raise money for sick kids.
Her brave stones are the tip of the iceberg so to speak: Mya has been raising money for sick kids since she was three-years-old and she’s already raised $32,000. She has set a lifetime goal to raise, in her words, “like a quarter-of-a-million dollars before I pass away.”
Comments