Ella Stratton | HAS Foundation
Being named a finalist in the 2026 Westfield West Lakes Local Heroes program is incredibly special but putting myself out there and sharing our family’s story is never easy.
Every time I talk about Hunter, it takes me back. Back to the beautiful memories. The love. The heartbreak. The tears. The life we had as a family and the enormous space he left behind.
Some days it still feels incredibly raw. But I keep showing up.
I do it for Hunter. To speak his name, keep his memory alive and make sure his beautiful life continues to make a difference.
But I also do it for the families walking a path similar to ours.
Families caring for a child with a life-limiting condition. Families navigating paediatric palliative care and bereavement. Families who need to know there are people who understand and a community ready to stand beside them.
Turning our pain into purpose
Through my own experience with Hunter, I came to understand just how much caring for a child with a life-limiting condition asks of a family.
I know the financial pressure, the emotional toll and the everyday challenges. I also know how incredibly precious time becomes and how much the smallest moments matter when you know that time together may be limited.
As I watched other families around us navigating their own journeys, I also saw that not everyone had the same support, resources or opportunities to make the most of that precious time.
That stayed with me.
I knew I couldn’t change what these families were facing. I couldn’t fix it or take away the heartbreak. But I could do something to make their journey a little more gentle. Through the precious moments, the uncertainty, the difficult days, and every stage of their journey that follows.
That understanding became part of the reason we created HAS Foundation in Hunter’s memory - to turn our pain into purpose and help other families feel cared for, supported and most importantly, never alone.
That is why HAS Foundation exists.
The next part is up to YOU!
If I receive the most community votes, HAS Foundation will receive a $20,000 grant.
This $20,000 could help us take Held by HAS to the next level by growing it from a series of wellbeing workshops into something much bigger and more impactful. A genuine community of connection and support, with more connection, more often, for more families.
We want to grow Held by HAS to create regular opportunities for parents and families navigating paediatric palliative care and bereavement to come together.
A coffee. A shared meal. A creative night. A relaxed catch-up.
Not counselling. Not an appointment. Not somewhere you have to explain your story.
A place to talk if you want to. To laugh without guilt. To speak your child's name. To make connections. Or simply be around people who understand without needing an explanation.
We know how powerful that connection can be because we have lived it ourselves.
We will hold that space for families for as long as they need us.
And we know families want more of it.
Which is why we need your vote...
This is the part where I feel slightly like a politician!
But please, vote for me. Vote for HAS, For connection. For community. For families facing the unimaginable reality of losing a child.
Your vote could help us wrap more families in care, comfort and connection and remind them that they never have to walk this journey alone.
Voting is free and only takes a minute
Already voted? Please help us spread the word.
Share the voting link with your family, friends, colleagues and networks. Every vote and every share helps us reach more people and brings this $20,000 grant one step closer to HAS families.
Live for the Moment and Love for a Lifetime.