Dear family and friends,

Please help raise funds to give me the gift of my lifetime - a beautiful glass photographic portrait of myself by world-renowned portrait and fashion photographer Robbie Merritt - and support the work of an incredible local charity - Cancer Support WA.

Please show your support by sponsoring my portrait.

Thank you

Indra Alfonsi

My Story

As a parent you never expect to be told one of your children has cancer.  On the 21 June 2009 after suffering some headaches, we took Indra for a CT scan.  Indra had a brain tumour.  That was the day our lives changed forever. 

It was inoperable but chemotherapy and radiation was to give him a good chance at survival they said, that was when it all went wrong.  The tumour started to bleed, he went into a rapid neurological decline and my baby was in a coma unable to breathe for himself.  We were told he may not make it.  Day by day they said. 

Between infections and multiple surgeries, my baby somehow woke up.  We spent 20 weeks in the hospital finishing chemotherapy and intensive rehabilitation.  We went through all the same milestones as when he was a baby, he had to learn to walk and talk again. 

Never did Indra complain about any of this,  he never gave up.   Infact his strength and determination to recover was unbelievable.  I always knew Indra was going to do something really special with his life and he did... he SURVIVED!

Indra is three years into remission now, he takes lifelong medications and suffers from multiple conditions as a result of the cancer.  He is ever the optimist and his positivity astounds us.  As parents we have learnt not to sweat the small stuff anymore and that patience will get you everywhere.  Life is a gift and nothing is more important than our children being happy and healthy.

Karen - Indra's mother

Cancer has taken a lot of things away from my life but I still go through it every day hoping that I can still do as great as I did before, or perhaps even better.   It hasn't taken my character or my unique sense of humour.  I have a strong bright outlook on life and it will not stop me from achieving all I want to be in my life.  Might just take me a bit longer.  I've learned that nothing can stop me from doing anything that I truly set out to do.  I AM AWESOME!

I, like all of the You Are Beautiful participants, have been affected by cancer and your donations (of any size) are sincerely appreciated!

Thank you

Indra Alfonsi - survivor