A young woman?s brave fight against cancer has inspired a new foundation that will help Bermudians defray the cost of overseas cancer treatments for years to come.

The law firm of Mello Jones and Martin has agreed to take on the task of creating a charitable foundation that honours Lori Mello?s courageous battle against non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

?Fighting cancer is our big charitable number one,? said one of the firm?s litigators Juliana Snelling. ?If 2007 can mean helping Lori set up a foundation to help others, that would be great,? she said.

The Mello family and the family?s friends have been truly overwhelmed with kind e-mails, supportive telephone calls and compassionate financial contributions. So many donations poured in this month alone, they have enough to cover a huge six-figure portion of Lori?s costs.

?It?s really shocked us all, we?ve all cried at some point,? said Kara Mederios, Lori?s best friend. ?Everyday there have been more phone calls, more e-mails.?

Lori Mello, 24, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma almost eight months ago.

Since then she?s had six rounds of chemotherapy at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. None of it worked.

She?s back there now for a seventh round ? this treatment promises to be more intense and more uncomfortable than the procedures that have already battered her body, stolen her hair, and tested her resolve.

When last we updated you about Lori on Friday her loved ones were extremely concerned about mounting healthcare costs. The biggest hurdle ahead of them was a planned stem-cell transplant which is at least $175,000, potentially as much as $240,000. The family said the insurance company was not offering to help.

It turns out the Mello family didn?t need an insurer ? it needed a community.

All the numbers aren?t in yet, but according to Miss Mederios, friends, neighbours, and even strangers anted up somewhere in the vicinity of $200,000.

?Only in a matter of weeks. That?s the amazing part of it? she relayed over the telephone yesterday. ?Lori says the financial burden has been lifted now. She can worry about getting better.?

Lori?s closest circle of friends ? which include Kara, Jennifer Morris, and Lauren Mahoney ? have decided not to let up on their fundraising efforts.

Once Lori is better, they say, the plan is to use whatever money is left over for the yet-to-be-named foundation.

Lori?s friend Jennifer says the non-profit will help other families afflicted with cancer who need help with their medical expenses. Mrs. Snelling was especially interested in the idea because her son Jade was battling cancer before he was two years old. Soon he?ll be four.

Jade was at the same Boston hospital Lori?s at today.

And no one would dare forget the efforts of Brian Morris, Lori?s cousin. The Belmont Hills golf pro played on his course 24 straight hours to contribute to the fundraising effort.

He?d hoped to raise $10,000, but probably raised four times that much. Especially since one of his donors forked over ten grand in an emphatic show of support. And the money just kept coming, Mr. Morris said. It still is.

?I had a few guys I haven?t seen in 20 years call and pledge. It was well beyond my expectations.?

Miss Mederios knows exactly what he means. She spends part of each day sorting through e-mail messages and handling phone calls.

?Somebody called to give $50,? she explained, ?simply because they have a daughter named Lori. A bartender is donating his tips from the past two weeks.?

All of these little acts of kindness have taken the drive to save Lori north of $200,000.

?Her and her mom cried,? Miss Mederios said of Lori when the news was delivered.

?That?s how touched they were. They were feeling a little guilty about it at first.?

But the news about the foundation and its potential to help others seemed to wash away their guilt and fill them instead with inspiration.

Lori and her family are in Boston once again this week facing a New England winter and the cold reality of chemotherapy treatment. A warm homecoming awaits them here in Bermuda where hope has been pouring in almost non-stop.