It’s wonderful sometimes to witness a single event that shows what a kind and caring community we have here in the Orana region.

This involved dozens of local individuals, organisations, and agencies coming to give one very special boy a birthday like no other.

Young Steve Howarth, the only child of Stella and Steven Howarth, was diagnosed in April 2025 with High Grade Glioma (a brain tumour).

With his 12th birthday approaching on May 9, local carer groups, including Country Hope and others, put the word out to make this a very special day for a boy battling one of life’s greatest challenges.

The response was overwhelming, with the Dubbo community coming together on Friday, May 8, with a range of gestures, gifts, and memories that overwhelmed expectations, Donna Falconer from Country Hope told Dubbo Photo News.

“We put a call out on social media for the community to come together and show this family some love at this time, with Steven out the front of his home from 4–5.30pm on the Friday,” Donna revealed.

“Dubbo answered the call big time. It was phenomenal – we had emergency services, the police, people young and old coming together and dropping off gifts for both Steve and also for Stella, as it was coming up to Mother’s Day,” she added.

This, Donna explained, was only the start of an amazing few days of kindness and caring from the local community, with photos captured by En Zo and Linda Haksteeg.

“He had a visit from ‘Brutus the Bull’ (a rodeo mascot), people bringing gifts and cakes and balloons from ‘The Party Stop’, we had motorbikes and a convoy of classic cars, it was amazing.

“The community came together in a phenomenal way to show them they’re part of our community,” Donna said.

Local businesses all played their part in giving the Orana Heights student a very special birthday, with the Friday just the prelude, Donna revealed.

“There was a birthday party on the Saturday at the Ten-Pin Bowling with another charity ‘Mate on a Mission’ also helping out.

“Then a Saturday night birthday party with 100 or more at Club Dubbo, with Stella’s friend and work colleagues from Orana Gardens aged care facility, and a 3-D photo booth with Buzz Lightyear provided by Creative Capture.

Donna was unable to name everyone who pitched in for this series of special events, there were just so many, but credited Country Hope volunteer Ange Croft as “the driving force” behind it, and board member Lynda Haksteeg, as two colleagues who gave their all.

“I was blown away by it, it was the biggest party and a very special night. We put the call out, and people went over and above to make it special for Steven,” Donna said.