JUST about every Friday Dubbo businessman Mark Knaggs and his young daughters Bridi and Charli shake off a week of work and school and head by road to the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick.
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Waiting anxiously for them is wife and mum Kelly, who is keeping watch on the youngest member of the family.
Seven-year-old Addison, who most people call "Addi", is undergoing chemotherapy for "stage four" neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer.
The family's need to come together and Mrs Knaggs' concern for the welfare and safety of the regular travellers have prompted community intervention.
St Laurence's Primary School, where the three sisters are enrolled, recently sent home envelopes with students asking parents to support the "Relay for Addi" held earlier this week.
Individual and anonymous donations as high as $500 were returned in the lead-up to the event where students dressed brightly as their sick friend is prone to do.
St Laurence's Primary School teacher Claire Hargreaves reported after the event that the more than $3000 raised on the day had kick-started the Knaggs Travel Fund at Gilpin Travel in Dubbo.
She called on the public to consider adding to the fund that will make it possible for Mr Knaggs and his daughters to sometimes fly to Sydney.
"Kel was worried about them travelling on the road when they were tired," Ms Hargreaves said.
"We have been blown away by the generosity of our families here."
Earlier this month Ms Hargreaves and two colleagues had their hair cropped short to raise awareness of Addi's "massive fight" for life.
The entire school cheered them on as Addi watched from Sydney on an iPhone using FaceTime technology.
Addi was diagnosed with cancer after she fell and broke a rib on a family holiday in Darwin about six weeks ago.
A growth was discovered and Addi and her mum were flown straight to Sydney.
Yesterday Ms Hargreaves said further investigation revealed the little girl was "riddled with little tumours" as well.
Abbi is currently an outpatient and living with her mum at Ronald McDonald House on the grounds of the hospital where she returns three days a week for treatment.
"They could be down there for eight or nine months," Ms Hargreaves said.
Not only the teachers but also the children of St Laurence's Primary School have taken Addi into their hearts.
Ms Hargreaves said when runners from the school collected $300 in prize money from the Dubbo Stampede, they were asked how they wanted it spent.
"The kids said straightaway 'We're going to give it to Addi'," Ms Hargreaves said.
The Knaggs family and the school "just want to have her back".
Donations to the Knaggs Travel Fund can be made by telephoning Gilpin Travel on 6884 3532 or visiting its office at 27 Talbragar Street.
