Memories of a young woman who died of cancer are being kept alive by fundraising to mark what would have been her 26th birthday on September 3.

The money will go to the Fight for Life Foundation, set up by Lori Mello before her death last June to ease the financial strain on other families with sick children.

The charity drive is being headed by the Kiddie Academy, the nursery and preschool run by Lori's mother Sharon DeSilva in Laffan Street, Pembroke.

She explained: "Lori worked at my school during all of her school breaks, and then as one of my toddler teachers after she completed her E.C.E. degree.

She then returned to university to pursue a degree in Behavioral Science and was diagnosed with cancer shortly thereafter, so many of the children at Kiddie Academy knew and loved her. "Forming a charity called The Fight for Life Foundation was an idea that Lori and her best friends came up with as a result of Lori being so passionate about young children, and because Lori spent numerous hours worrying about the financial strain that her illness had put on our family.

"We had battled with the insurance company on many occasions and were faced with staggering bills for medical care that was not covered, purchasing prescriptions, travel to and from Boston every three weeks, and living expenses since she had to remain in Boston for one month at a time whenever she was receiving radiation treatments."

Since Lori had a serious reaction to one of the drugs she was given while being treated for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, she had to have all of her chemotherapy administered in Boston too. That meant flying there every three weeks.

"Lori started to worry about other families who may not be in such a good financial position, and wondered how people like this would be able to cope with the additional expenses. Hence the idea for the Fight for Life Foundation."

Parents and children at the Kiddie Academy are busy filling in pledge forms that asks each person to pray for a sick child today and donate what they can to help needy families.

They are also roping in their family members, friends, work colleagues and employers to participate. Members of the wider public who wish to help out can email Ms DeSilva for a pledge sheet on sharond@northrock.bm or pick one up from the Kiddie Academy.