Artist Mawalan ii Marika donated his rising sun painting to raise money for five-year-old Ingrid Newman in her fight against a brain tumour. Photo: Supplied.
You may know her as the cute mascot of the Lion’s Den Hotel, but five-year-old Ingrid Newman is not just another pretty face – she is a brave girl who has been fighting a brain tumour since she was 14 months old.
The Rossville community came together for a painting auction night in support of their “Den Baby” at the iconic watering hole on New Year’s Eve, raising $600 to cover the out-of-pocket costs of the Newmans’ most recent trip to Brisbane.
“All the costs added together is usually about $500 to $600, so the fundraiser really helped to not have to dip into our savings,” mum Belle Newman said.
“It’s mostly any food while we’re here and taxis, and we have to be down here for at least three nights each time.
“We used to have to do trips every week to Cairns and a monthly trip to Brisbane, and now it’s gone to every three months, so the trips have calmed down a bit.”
Days after the recent scan, Ms Newman shared the wonderful news that little Ingrid’s brain development looked to be improving.
“For the last three scans, the tumour has been pretty much stable and hasn’t grown, but this one actually shows that her brain is recovering, which is a first and pretty amazing,” she said.
“We thought that the tumour had sort of prevented her brain from growing into that frontal spot, but it seems that it was actually compressed, and now it’s slowly starting to spread back out.”
Ms Newman thanked the community for their continued support throughout Ingrid’s journey.
“It was just so heartwarming to see everyone turn up for her,” she said.
“Even people who don’t know her, don’t know her story, or sometimes they’ve seen the story because they follow the Lion’s Den page, were helping us out.”
To add to the beauty of the night, publican Judy Fry said the painting, which was donated by Aboriginal artist and regular customer Mawalan ii Marika, was donated back to the pub to be auctioned again for the family.
“Belle was working at the pub before I bought the place over 10 years ago, and she stayed on with us and had a baby, so Ingrid became part of us,” she said.
“It was just a great night seeing both people who love her and complete strangers open their wallets for this little girl.”
Affectionately known as the “Den Baby” for being the adorable face of the Lion’s Den Hotel, Ingrid Newman is without doubt Rossville’s bravest celebrity. Photo: Supplied.
