Family 'shattered' by mother's crash

Friends and foster children of a mother injured in a car crash at Roelands last week are rallying to raise money to cover hospital costs.

Gail Thornton remains in intensive care at Royal Perth Hospital after the commuter van she was driving with seven passengers collided with another car.

The 69-year-old had been driving to church with some of her foster children and one of her boys, 13, is still in Princess Margaret Hospital with a fractured pelvis.

Family friend Tracie Aristidis said Ms Thornton had been fostering children for about 50 years and described her as a "unique woman".

"The family is a bit shattered at the moment as they're all split up," Ms Aristidis said.

"The kids are all worried about their mum.

"They all depend on their mum and she's not there at the moment."

Ms Aristidis said donation tins would be placed at the Nandos store in Bunbury and she was hoping to organise Bunbury's biggest raffle.

"Gail is a very private person who would never ask for help," she said.

"We need people like her in the community and so we're asking the community to get behind her."

Jessie Kundi has lived with Ms Thornton and known her for almost five years.

"I call her my second mum," she said. "I've spoken to her and she's one tough woman - she wants to get out of there."

Money raised will go towards Ms Thornton's hospital costs and ongoing medical expenses.