KOTA KINABALU: The siblings of Melissa Yong, a talented craftswoman who recently passed away from cancer, took to social media on Saturday to promote her handmade items and raise funds for her children’s education.
Melissa died on July 12 at the age of 43, leaving behind a son and daughter, aged 16 and 15.
Her sister, Winnie Yong, spoke about the family's efforts to honour Melissa's memory and secure her children's future.
"All of these are handmade by her," Winnie said, gesturing to the crochet items in their shared stall.
"We had this stall for almost two years already. Recently, she had cancer and passed away. We wanted to clear all these stocks for her children's education fund."
The stall, which the sisters co-owned, will close at the month's end.
Winnie said she couldn't manage it alone after her sister's passing. The family is now focused on selling the remaining inventory at reasonable prices.
Melissa's battle with cancer began with a stage three nose cancer diagnosis, which initially responded well to treatment. However, the disease later spread to her liver and lungs.
"We tried our best also but couldn't save her," Winnie said.
The family's younger brother shared their story on Facebook, leading to an outpouring of support from friends and generous strangers.
The heart-warming display of family solidarity and community support has since garnered 485 reactions and 755 shares on Facebook as of press time.
"I think all the generous people, they just want to help us, support us," Winnie said.
While the family hasn't set a specific fundraising goal, all proceeds from the sale will go directly to Melissa's children's education fund.
Those interested in supporting the cause can find them at Citymall’s first floor near Watsons.
