Ballarat teenager Paige Smith is being remembered as a bright, loving and bubbly girl who loved hanging out with her friends at Ballarat Specialist School.
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Paige, 14, died suddenly on Monday leaving behind her heartbroken family, friends, supporters and therapists who had worked with the family for many years.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Paige had her challenges but charmed everyone with her vibrant personality and beautiful smile.
For the past eight years a team from Ookami Kids, a mobile pediatric therapy service, have provided therapy and support for Paige and her family and have set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help her family with funeral and other costs.
We want to ensure that this gorgeous girl's life is celebrated in a way that she most definitely deserves
"We just want to wrap around the family and support them. As you can imagine it's not something you plan for, or would have the means to find the money needed for a funeral," said Caroline Adams from Ookami Kids.
"There's not a lot we can do and this is our way of showing support and trying to help them."
Many of the team at Ookami Kids have helped Paige with different services over the years - at school, at home and in the community.
"She was bright, funny, unassumingly feisty, and was so dearly loved by all who were lucky enough to be a part of her life," they wrote on the GoFundMe page.
Ms Adams said Paige was cheeky, lovable and fun.
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"Just being at school was her big social outlet where she could be social with her friends, and she did have a great group of friends at school," Ms Adams said.
Within a little over a day the fundraiser had received more than 120 donations, raising in excess of $6600 to help Paige's family.
"She is very much missed and her school community have been amazing in supporting the family. As soon as we put this (GoFundMe) up we had so much support and message of love for the family," Ms Adams said.
"We want to ensure that this gorgeous girl's life is celebrated in a way that she most definitely deserves".
The GoFundMe page to support Paige's family is here
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