Community Thankyou For Jeanine

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday April 21, 2007

By COURTNEY TRENWITH

SPORT has ruled Jeanine Hahn's life since she started playing netball as a little girl.

When two knee reconstructions ended her own promising netball career she turned her hand to coaching and became one of the most popular and successful in the Illawarra.

The first team she took under her wing won the premiership. She coached the top teams in the Illawarra, as well as turning girls who could not catch a ball into finalists.

For years she has followed her four children, Ryan, 21, Nicole, 19, Grant, 17, and Renae, 15, around the state as they compete in representative teams for a variety of sports.

So when the Kembla Grange woman was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer three years ago, the news hit hard within the Illawarra sporting community.

Mrs Hahn has undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy but the cancer has spread to her bones.

She is now bedridden and the only outing she gets is on Saturdays when she watches her children play sport.

Just after she was diagnosed, her husband Rob had $60,000 worth of tools for his excavation business stolen.

Two months ago, a stolen car crashed into power lines outside the front of their home, forcing an 11,000-volt surge through their house, destroying all their electrical equipment.

Tomorrow, sporting clubs across the region have organised a fundraiser for the family at Dandaloo Hotel from noon. More than 1000 people, from youngsters Mrs Hahn coached to elite athletes, will attend.

Businesses and sporting clubs have donated entertainment, food and sporting memorabilia for an auction and players from the Sydney Swifts and the St George Illawarra Dragons are expected to appear.

Mr Hahn said the event would be a celebration of sport and a thankyou to his wife.

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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