Sarah Short knows that she could let herself go into a really deep, dark place, but that’s not where she wants to be.
“I want to go to a place that has that bright, shining light and that’s Isla.”
Isla is Short’s daughter. The three-and-a-half-year-old Deer Lake girl died this past November of cancer after being diagnosed in December 2015 with Stage 4 neuroblastoma. She had been undergoing treatment at the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. John’s at the time.
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Now Short and her husband, Michael, are honouring their daughter with a goal to help others through the Islaview Foundation.
While going through chemotherapy treatment with Isla, Short said they saw the needs and the number of families that could be helped.
With costs in the thousands of dollars per month, the financial burden for families can be overwhelming at a time when they need to focus on their children’s health.
The Shorts, both business owners, were lucky that they could take time off work and still have their businesses continue to operate. They were also fortunate in that their hometown of Deer Lake stood behind them and Isla and provided them with a lot of financial assistance.
It was because of that assistance that the family was able to live in an apartment away from the hospital setting where Isla could be free to be a child with her own things around her and space to play.
“We just knew from our experience, needing that financial assistance that when we were done this journey that we were going to do this anyway,” she said of starting the foundation.
Of course, they had been hoping for a different outcome for Isla, that she’d be a part of building the foundation.
But Short said in the last few weeks of her life they started to come to terms with the fact the little girl she describes as “pure love” was not going to make it.
Knowing what she had gone through, she said they were are peace that when Isla arrived in heaven she wouldn’t have to do more chemotherapy, she wouldn’t have to lie in a bed, and not have to take medications.
“She could just be running freely.”
While she may not be here physically, Short thinks Isla is with them as they make the foundation a reality.
“Because we can feel her all the time around us and in every decision we make. It’s almost like she’s directing us a little bit,” she said.
“Sometimes you feel overwhelmed with grief and sadness that comes with losing your child, but at the same time we look at what would Isla want us to do. And she would want us to keep going, and she would want us to do this and help other families like people helped us.”
Short said they were never alone in their journey, but a lot of families are and they need support.
“We’re going to make that happen. And we are going to help out so many families that are going through a similar situation, not only financially, but emotionally. And provide them with hope.
“Hope while they’re going through their journey and hope afterwards. No matter what the outcome is, there is always hope.”
To raise money the foundation will be selling a variety of merchandise and plans to hold a benefit concert every year and other events.
It will also host Islaview (pronounced I-Love-You) Day every year on the Friday after the long weekend in May.
Last May, the Town of Deer Lake temporarily changed its name to Islaview in support of Isla and her family. The name came from a book written by her uncle Dan Bursey titled “A Town Called Islaview.”
A child can be referred to the foundation by member of their health-care team, a family member or a friend.
All requests will go to the board to see if it fits what the foundation will cover — things like medication, travel and basic needs of food and housing.
The Islaview Foundation will hold its official launch on Thursday in the Islaview Studio at Active Life Physiotherapy, 6 Church St. from 7-9 p.m.
While the studio carries the Islaview name, Short said it is not part of the foundation, but just another way of honouring Isla and keeping her close by as she works.
