A mother of three has died suddenly at the age of 45 after suffering a brain aneurysm, leaving her children without parents. Joanne Blacker passed away on August 7, just weeks after volunteering as a team trainer for her youngest son's junior football team at North Sunshine Football Club in Melbourne, Australia.
Blacker, a single mother, collapsed at home after telling her partner she felt unwell. She was rushed to hospital where doctors discovered severe swelling on her brain. She remained on life support for two weeks before her family made the difficult decision to turn it off.
Her three children, Cooper, 12, Lana, 11, and Archer, 10, are now being cared for by their grandparents. The grandfather, who is still working, faces the challenge of supporting the children emotionally and financially.
A friend and club member, Jeremy Hibbert, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help ease the financial burden on the family. So far, $3,633 AUD (£1,757) has been raised towards the $20,000 (£9,676) target. The football club is also planning a community family day to raise further funds.
Hibbert told the Daily Mail: "Jo was a single mum who did everything for her children. Those kids were her world." The North Sunshine Football Club, where Blacker was a beloved volunteer, has paid tribute to her, with players wearing black armbands over the weekend in her honour.
