TWICE a day, at the very least, Maybelle Wood watches Ellen – the lunchtime edition and a repeat in the evening, just in case she missed a joke the first time.
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But Maybelle rarely misses a joke from her favourite chat show host.
Watching the Ellen DeGeneres Show has been a highlight for Maybelle amid an endless string of treatments for the young Ballarat leukaemia patient.
Her one wish is to go to the show.
“Ellen’s really cool. She makes me laugh,” the 11-year-old said. “I like it when they do specials, like Hot Glam Girl with all the big hair – that’s really funny.”
Maybelle’s mum Bianca mentioned the wish in a Facebook status on Tuesday.
The response she got was “insane”.
Within hours, friends and friends-of-friends were offering to help any way they could.
By late Tuesday, Bianca had to start an official Facebook page, Let’s get Maybelle to the Ellen show, to help direct traffic and pool ideas.
Bianca said fundraising for a trip to Ellen’s studios in California was the easy part.
Logistics and finding a way to make Maybelle stand out and catch Ellen and her producers’ attention – that was the hard bit.
Maybelle admits she is not the best dancer and might have to find ways other than adopting Ellen’s trademark moves to make her mark.
But Bianca said there are plenty of people ready and willing to offer help.
“It’s a bit overwhelming,” Bianca said. “I share Maybelle’s story a lot and lots of people have come along the journey with us.
“A few people have already done extraordinary things to help but the response to this has been crazy.”
Maybelle was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on November 1. She has a string of beads, started at the Royal Children’s Hospital, that she adds to with each treatment, each special occasion and each milestone along the way.
One day, hopefully, there will be a special Ellen-bead to thread on. Bianca said with the support they had received, they would find a way.
To help get Maybelle to a taping of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, you can donate to Maybelle Wood at any Bendigo Bank branch or directly to her account: BSB 633 000, account number 146928510. Or visit Maybelle’s official Facebook page, Let’s get Maybelle to the Ellen show.
melanie.whelan@thecourier.com.au
