Abuse survivors crowdfund Rome trip to see Pell testify

The Chronicle
February 17, 2016

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/abuse-survivors-crowdfund-rome-trip-see-pell-testi/2934116/

Cardinal George Pell

BALLARAT survivors of sexual abuse plan to travel to Rome to hear Cardinal George Pell give evidence to the royal commission into child sex abuse, as a result of a crowdfunding campaign.

Cardinal Pell will remain in Rome after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse accepted a doctor's report that said he was too sick to return to testify in Australia.

Comedian Meshel Laurie and television presenter Gorgi Coghlan started a GoFundMe page to send 15 people, including representatives from the City of Ballarat, survivors and support people to Rome for the hearing.

The campaign exceeded its target of $55,000 after the fundraising page was shared more than 3,100 times on Facebook and Twitter.

On Wednesday morning it was nearing $75,000, including an anonymous donation of $10,000.