Caring Kiwis answer the call for shirties
New Zealanders have sent a ray of light into an Australian family’s time of horror.
Kiwi cricketers and their fans have donated their shirts to Grace Steel, a 6-year-old Perth girl battling cancer for the second time.
The clothing was identical to Grace’s beloved Black Caps 2007 ODI shirt – called ‘‘shirtie’’ – and would comfort her through a bone marrow transplant this month, her mum Catherine said.
‘‘She loves them. She called the newer ones shirtie’s brothers and sisters.’’
Last month, Steel launched a global search for shirties that could help Grace through the gruelling treatment for leukaemia and lymphoma.
She’d had her own ‘‘shirtie’’ since she was 18 months old. When she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at age 3, it comforted her through 21⁄2-years of treatment.
The transplant, scheduled for August 13, gave her a 50 per cent chance of survival but strict infection control meant her shirt would have to be sterilised daily.
After Stuff reported Steel’s plea, dozens of people responded and at least three identical shirts – one belonging to Black Cap Jacob Oram – were promised.
Among the offers of shirts were emails from past and present Black Caps offering the family support.
The family had hoped for seven shirts but now has a dozen shirts – ‘‘the perfect number’’ – from kindhearted Kiwis.
Grace called the supporter’s shirts ‘‘shirtie’s brothers and sisters’’ and the player’s shirts cousins, Steel said. ‘‘She always looks for the positive in everything.’’
The gesture has been a ray of light in an otherwise awful time as Grace prepared for her transplant.
The good news was that sportsloving Grace was now in remission and in the best possible place for treatment.