Kellie's fight against Brain Cancer
Donation protected
Please lend support to Kellie Turner in her fight against Brain Cancer.
This year on one of our most celebrated public holidays, Australia Day, my sister in-law had her life take a devastating turn. Kellie had decided to get her pre-baby body back and was working out at her local gym, when she had her first and only symptom of her brain tumour, a seizure.
To keep a long story short, Kellie had to jump through hoops to have the medical system investigate what caused her seizure. Eventually, a MRI scan found 5.3cm brain lesion in her frontal lobe. Within 2 weeks Kellie had a brain biopsy performed in Townsville and was diagnosed with a high grade 3 Oligodendroglioma. This aggressive brain cancer has a life expectancy of 3.5years. As soon as Kellie received her diagnosis she was put on medication to control her seizures and help reduce her brain swelling. To compound the trauma of the news she received, as she put it, ‘her expiry date’, that evening she had to stop breast-feeding her 6-month-old daughter. Through the devastation she faced, Kellie showed so much bravery and accepted the prognosis and started to go down the recommended treatment path of radiation and chemotherapy. Kellie was to start her treatment just after Easter.
My sister in-law is incredibly intelligent. She is honestly the most wonderful wife and mother to her three children, who are all under the age of 5. Her title she has given herself is ‘A happy mother of three beautiful children’.
Thankfully, this title gave Kellie a new determination. Shortly before her treatment was due to commence Kellie decided she was not going to accept death and fight this terrifying disease. Through research she made the decision she had to go and see Prof. Charlie Teo, Australia’s most controversial, yet inspirational Neurosurgeon to get a second opinion. Charlie is one of the only Neurosurgeons who is brave enough to take on cases that no one else will, extending the lives of many children and adults with brain tumours, some which may have been previously considered to be 'inoperable'.
A defining moment was meeting Prof Charlie Teo; it was the first day since her diagnosis that Kellie and her family were offered hope. Charlie referred to her tumour as a lucky tumour, he believed that if he performed a ‘super resection’, this means that he would remove the tumour plus healthy brain tissue around the tumour, that he could give Kellie time for her to see her young children grow up.
During the meeting and after leaving the meeting I could not stop crying, Charlie delivered news that we all prayed for everyday since being told that she had a high grade brain tumour. He delivered hope of her life! My tears turned to fear thinking about what she must be thinking, you are offering time but you are taking a quarter of my brain. Again, Kellie showed courage and strength and that weekend in Sydney she became my new inspiration for life. Three days later Kellie had brain surgery.
Before I go on to where Kellie is at now, you need to know some very scary facts. Brain cancer kills more children in Australia than any other disease and more people under 40 than any other cancer. Brain cancer is the most deadly and expensive cancer that anyone can be diagnosed with. Kellie’s medical bills have already exceeded $40,000. Unfortunately with Oligodendrogliomas they have a history of growing back. On the 6th of April this year Kellie had only conquered the first mountain.
It has been four weeks since Kellie’s brain surgery and she is continuing her fight against brain cancer. Kellie’s recovery is now about rehabilitation through services such as occupational therapy and neuropsychologist. With the support and love from her beautiful family Kellie shows improvement every day and is one of the most exceptionally strong willed people I have ever met.
I am asking all of our friends and family to help ease the financial burden and help us raise money for a young family who five years ago became my family. Our goal is to raise enough money to help with the medical bills to-date and her ongoing treatment.
Our family is extremely grateful for any contribution to this fund (no matter how big or small). This experience has changed our lives, and we consider it very close to our hearts. As well as raising funds for Kellie, we will continue to educate the Australian public on the threat of brain cancer and how we can help all those affected.
Thank you for your support!
This year on one of our most celebrated public holidays, Australia Day, my sister in-law had her life take a devastating turn. Kellie had decided to get her pre-baby body back and was working out at her local gym, when she had her first and only symptom of her brain tumour, a seizure.
To keep a long story short, Kellie had to jump through hoops to have the medical system investigate what caused her seizure. Eventually, a MRI scan found 5.3cm brain lesion in her frontal lobe. Within 2 weeks Kellie had a brain biopsy performed in Townsville and was diagnosed with a high grade 3 Oligodendroglioma. This aggressive brain cancer has a life expectancy of 3.5years. As soon as Kellie received her diagnosis she was put on medication to control her seizures and help reduce her brain swelling. To compound the trauma of the news she received, as she put it, ‘her expiry date’, that evening she had to stop breast-feeding her 6-month-old daughter. Through the devastation she faced, Kellie showed so much bravery and accepted the prognosis and started to go down the recommended treatment path of radiation and chemotherapy. Kellie was to start her treatment just after Easter.
My sister in-law is incredibly intelligent. She is honestly the most wonderful wife and mother to her three children, who are all under the age of 5. Her title she has given herself is ‘A happy mother of three beautiful children’.
Thankfully, this title gave Kellie a new determination. Shortly before her treatment was due to commence Kellie decided she was not going to accept death and fight this terrifying disease. Through research she made the decision she had to go and see Prof. Charlie Teo, Australia’s most controversial, yet inspirational Neurosurgeon to get a second opinion. Charlie is one of the only Neurosurgeons who is brave enough to take on cases that no one else will, extending the lives of many children and adults with brain tumours, some which may have been previously considered to be 'inoperable'.
A defining moment was meeting Prof Charlie Teo; it was the first day since her diagnosis that Kellie and her family were offered hope. Charlie referred to her tumour as a lucky tumour, he believed that if he performed a ‘super resection’, this means that he would remove the tumour plus healthy brain tissue around the tumour, that he could give Kellie time for her to see her young children grow up.
During the meeting and after leaving the meeting I could not stop crying, Charlie delivered news that we all prayed for everyday since being told that she had a high grade brain tumour. He delivered hope of her life! My tears turned to fear thinking about what she must be thinking, you are offering time but you are taking a quarter of my brain. Again, Kellie showed courage and strength and that weekend in Sydney she became my new inspiration for life. Three days later Kellie had brain surgery.
Before I go on to where Kellie is at now, you need to know some very scary facts. Brain cancer kills more children in Australia than any other disease and more people under 40 than any other cancer. Brain cancer is the most deadly and expensive cancer that anyone can be diagnosed with. Kellie’s medical bills have already exceeded $40,000. Unfortunately with Oligodendrogliomas they have a history of growing back. On the 6th of April this year Kellie had only conquered the first mountain.
It has been four weeks since Kellie’s brain surgery and she is continuing her fight against brain cancer. Kellie’s recovery is now about rehabilitation through services such as occupational therapy and neuropsychologist. With the support and love from her beautiful family Kellie shows improvement every day and is one of the most exceptionally strong willed people I have ever met.
I am asking all of our friends and family to help ease the financial burden and help us raise money for a young family who five years ago became my family. Our goal is to raise enough money to help with the medical bills to-date and her ongoing treatment.
Our family is extremely grateful for any contribution to this fund (no matter how big or small). This experience has changed our lives, and we consider it very close to our hearts. As well as raising funds for Kellie, we will continue to educate the Australian public on the threat of brain cancer and how we can help all those affected.
Thank you for your support!
Organizer
Kellie Turner
Organizer
Blackburn, NZ