4.9“Excellent”Lee heard their story and knew our community could help when Vanessa and Rick needed it most. What happened next showed the power of the Butterfly Effect.
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Rick and Vanessa · Sydney, Australia
4 min readRick was diagnosed with Infantile Tay-Sachs disease at 18 months old. Vanessa was told her little boy might have only two to four years to live.
She continued raising him as a single mum, caring for him and working full time while searching the world for anything that could improve his comfort and quality of life.
01 · Lee Heard Their Story
Further treatment meant another journey to Italy, with treatment, medical travel, accommodation, specialised equipment and daily care costs to cover. Vanessa had already carried so much alone.
Lee flew to Australia to surprise Vanessa and Rick, meet them face to face and show them they were no longer carrying the story alone.
Sometimes the first act of help is making sure somebody’s story is heard.
02 · One Story Started to Travel
Lee shared Rick and Vanessa’s story with the Butterfly community. People who had never met them stopped, listened and chose to help.
Some donated. Others shared the story again. One act of care became a ripple that travelled far beyond Sydney.
Lee with Rick and Vanessa after their story rallied a community.03 · The Butterfly Effect in Action
More than 33,900 people responded after Rick and Vanessa’s story was shared. Lee organised the direct fundraiser for Vanessa, the named beneficiary.
More than $1.46M AUD was raised to support Rick’s treatment, medical travel, accommodation, specialised equipment and daily care costs.
This Is the
Butterfly Effect.
One person listened. One story travelled. Tens of thousands of people found a way to care. Butterfly exists to help more moments like this begin.
Butterfly does more than share a post. We invest the time, travel and resources to meet people facing hardship, listen properly and carry their stories to a community ready to act.
1,700,000+ meals funded
Shopping Butterfly helps fund the equivalent of 20 meals per product and gives us the power to find more people like Vanessa and Rick, meet them face to face and carry their stories to a community ready to care.
The featured fundraiser was separate from product purchases. Its recorded result is linked above for transparency.
Real customer reviews across Butterfly jewelry and apparel.
Rick and Vanessa’s fundraiser was separate from Butterfly purchases.
No. Product sales were not direct donations to Vanessa and Rick. Their fundraiser was a separate form of support. Shopping Butterfly helps fund 20 meals per product and makes the giving trips and storytelling that help the next story reach more people possible.
The fundraiser was created to support Rick’s treatment, medical travel, flights, accommodation, specialised equipment and daily care costs.
Every product purchased helps fund the equivalent of 20 meals through Butterfly's giving partners. Purchases also help make giving trips possible, so Butterfly can meet people, share their stories and help direct fundraisers reach more people.
Yes. Eligible items can be returned within 30 days. Read the return policy.
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