The Bendigo community is rallying around Sonia Brit and her family after a routine check-up found a brain tumour first discovered in 2012 is growing again.
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Despite the setback, Sonia is still sending out positive vibes.
"At first it was just shock. Shock for my family. It's worse for them, I think, than it is for me," she said.
"I'm really positive about what I can do rather than what doctors and others can do. I'm very positive about myself."
A Go Fund Me page set up at the start of the week by close friend Lauren Mitchell has reached $12,000 in donations.
"Loz wanted to do something for us. She knew how hard we were doing," Sonia said. "Not just with the diagnosis but financially as well.
"She offered to do the page for us, write it and look after it all. It was a bit overwhelming at first but I trust Loz so much and knew she would be the right person to put my cause out there for me because I didn't feel I could do it myself.
"Loz took all of that anxiousness and everything away by taking that huge responsibility off my hands and raising money for us."
Sonia was originally diagnosed with an astrocytoma brain tumour in 2012.
After surgery and treatment she has spent almost seven years living with cancer.
All the while she has been running her popular arts shop Bob Boutique and supporting local artists.
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"I've been living with it for seven years with scans every three months," Sonia said. "This last (scan) was pushed out to 12 months and that's when (we found it).
"(The tumour) has broken that barrier that was keeping it whole and come out into other areas of my brain. At the moment I am still going through treatment options of what can happen next.
"I'm very much not a traditional medicine person, so I don't take a lot of notice of what doctors tell me but I know that this is not good. I know that.
"What I'm deciding to do next is the biggest thing for me at the moment. I'll know more in a couple of weeks of what the decision will be."
Sonia has been overwhelmed by the support and messages, from both those familiar and strangers.
"I feel so lucky to have all the support from people I know and people I don't know," she said.
"I honestly couldn't stop crying for a couple of days just from the joy of seeing people writing the things they did."
Lauren said Sonia supported countless people and causes over the years and knew how many people would want to support Sonia and stand by her side.
"Sonia is someone who doesn't ask for anything in life," Lauren said. "But I could ask on her behalf and I felt it was time to do that.
"Once people know that someone they love needs a hand, everybody is right there. (This Go Fund Me) was to provide a platform where people could put their hand up and say 'we're here for you and we want to help.'
"It's been really heartening and beautiful to see people's kindness and generosity. Not just through donations but the comments that have come in for Sonia."
Funds raised from the campaign will help general costs of living as well as travel and treatment for Sonia in the future.
"It means I have more options," Sonia said. "There's so much more (treatment options) going on overseas and a lot of new trials in Queensland.
"So there are a few options we could possibly go to but we have nothing. No means to get anywhere. The Go Fund Me page helps with treatment and travel to get me where I have to go to get the best treatment."
In the meantime, Sonia has been able to stay positive and relaxed in her day to day life which can involve seizures, extreme fatigue and other debilitating complications associated with brain cancer.
"Every day feels like a long day but it's (often) nice and relaxed, I can still come in to the shop and talk with people and do things with my partner and family," she said.
"Although I'm nervous about the future, I'm relaxed about it. I feel positive about everything that will come my way. Whatever decision I make, I know it will be the right one for me."
Sonia is also keeping herself busy with a new line of works.
"I can't stop thinking about arts and creating. It's just what I have done since I can remember," she said. "I'm always thinking about drawing something or making something. (I have) some things for the Windsors and Tudors exhibition to make it beautiful in the shop for that."
During the ups and downs of Sonia's health, her store Bob Boutique has continued to go from strength to strength. It is how most people in Bendigo and beyond know Sonia.
"It's been a huge, amazing 15 years for me (and Bob Boutique). It's such a positive space," she said.
"But I just don't feel like I am well known. I feel like I'm just part of the shop, part of my team with Mum (artist Gail Tavener) and Jamie, my customers and suppliers - we're just a big family."
Despite Sonia's humble attitude, Lauren said everyone who met Sonia knew she was a special person.
"Some of the comments that have been left on the page are from people who have maybe come into the shop once, years ago, and have remembered Sonia," Lauren said.
"When they saw the story it triggered those memories and they wanted to support her. It takes meeting Sonia once to feel like that.
"There's another family we know who are going through a similar journey, and they were one of the families to donate to Sonia's page.
"If people haven't seen the Go Fund Me page, have a look at Sonia's story, she's one person who is special. We love her very much."
Sonia and Gail will open Bob Boutique for longer this weekend if people want to visit Sonia on Saturday morning before 11am.
It is Sonia's way of saying thank you for the support she has received during her illness.
After all the love, support and donations she has seen this week, Sonia still acknowledges there are other people going through their own problems.
"It's so important to realise everyone is human and that everyone's going through something," she said.
"I've just always thought if you are kind to somebody, even when they don't expect anything from you, that's the greatest thing you can do for someone because it carries on for the rest of the day or longer."
To donate or read more find Sonia Brit's fundraising campaign follow this link.
I feel so lucky to have all the support from people I know and people I don't know.
- Sonia Brit