Two Shellharbour children are using their passion for making loom bands to help two friends who are battling a terminal illness called Sanfilippo syndrome.
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Zara, 7, and Leo, 5, are calling all children who like looming to help them create a loom band long enough to span the Sydney Harbour Bridge for their friends Isla, 5, and Jude, 3.
The Loom for Sanfilippo is a fund-raising campaign launched by Zara and Leo, which now involves children throughout the Illawarra and beyond.
They have already reached 404 metres after picking up a 60-metre loom chain made by children at Rachael's Before and After School Care at Shell Cove.
Educator Rachael Farquhar said the children were excited about handing the loom chain over to Zara and Leo and read them stories they had written about why they did it.
The children were Molly, Emma, Billy, Kimberley, Thomas, Elisha, Darcy, Emily, Maddelyn, Lily, Kai, Sienna and Anastaisa.
Zara and Leo's mission is to make a loom 1149 metres long so it can stretch from one side of Sydney Harbour Bridge to the other.
The children are also seeking sponsorship.
They are hoping to raise at least $5 for each loom chain link to go towards vital research dollars for the Sanfilippo Children's Foundation.
The foundation was set up by Isla and Jude's parents Megan and Allan Donnell last year following the shock diagnosis of both children.
Their mission is to give Isla, Jude and other Australian children affected by the terrible disease a future.
Sanfilippo syndrome is a degenerative genetic condition afflicting children.
There is no cure and many children die before reaching adulthood.
But there is now some hope for Isla and Jude, in the form of a clinical gene therapy trial scheduled to start at the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio in the United States next year.
Simon Davie, of Sliding Doors Australia, said his young children wanted to do something to help their friends Isla and Jude turn that dream of a treatment into a reality.
He said they had asked him to help them set up a fund-raising campaign.
Mr Davie said it was great to see how many kids had now come on board wanting to help other kids.
"Zara first met Isla at a friend's birthday party, and when she saw both children on 60 Minutes recently she really wanted to do something to help," Mr Davie said.
"She loves to make loom bands, and thought it would be great if she and Leo could help make a really long one, especially if it could cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
"We've also asked that a $5 donation is made when each loom band is sent in, so that lots of money can be raised for the foundation, and help bring urgent treatment here to Australia, and give a future to these children.
"Looming is such a phenomenon at the moment, it is not surprising that in the first two weeks since they set their Facebook page up, they had hundreds of 'likes' from people from all over the Illawarra.
"The 'kids helping kids' has been great to see, not just with Zara and Leo helping Isla and Jude, but all the other kids helping make a difference too.
"They've had involvement from all over Australia and overseas too including South Africa and a massive loom-chain from New Zealand."
Mrs Donnell said it was great children could have fun while also bringing people's attention to the serious nature of the disease.
"This all about kids helping kids," she said.
"Thank you to Zara and Leo. Isla and Jude are lucky to have such gems as friends."
More information about Sanfilippo Children's Foundation can be found and donations made at www.sanfilippo.org.au.
