Carissa Needs Our Help

If there’s one word that describes Carissa, it’s fighter. In her life, she has battled and won more fights than all of us will ever face. And, she’s done it all with courage, grace and determination.

Carissa is a single mum, a small business owner and one of the most resilient people you will ever meet. Since the age of 12, she has faced a relentless series of health battles, from losing her leg to cancer, then lung cancer, open heart surgery, breast cancer, tongue cancer and more.

Despite it all, Carissa has never stopped showing up for her two children, for her clients and for her community. She is a person who always sees the glass ‘half full’ and finds the thing to be grateful for during the toughest times. She never complains and has never asked ‘why me’?

But now, Carissa is facing her toughest battle yet. She has been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in her abdomen, spine, bone and ovaries. There are too many tumours to count and her treatment has now commenced.

She needs our help more than ever.

A Lifetime of Medical Battles

Just a glimpse of what Carissa has survived:

1987 – Osteosarcoma in left femur, resulting in leg amputation

1990 & 1993 – Lung cancer (metastasis from sarcoma), whilst being diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse (leaky valve) & cardiomyopathy (weakened heart from childhood chemotherapy)

2001 – Hip replacement due to avascular necrosis

2009 – Spinal surgery for a burst L4/5

2015 – Second hip replacement

2018–2019 – Rotator cuff surgeries (both shoulders)

2021 – Tongue cancer, breast cancer (mastectomy), open-heart surgery to install a mechanical heart valve

2022 – Second mastectomy

2023 – Cervical spine bleed after a major car accident

2025 – New diagnosis: metastatic breast cancer in the abdomen, spine, bone and ovaries.

Who is Carissa?

This list above is long, but Carissa is so much more than her lifelong sickness. She has been so much to so many.

She has always been a significant member of the childhood cancer survivor groups here in WA. As a teenager, she was a founding member & President of CanTeen in WA and the Vice President in Australia. She was a big part of the Camp Quality community in her youth and remains a close contact to many, often representing a symbol that strength and courage can overcome.

As a parent, she has never let her disability or troubles get in the way. A dedicated swimming mum & committee member at her children’s swimming team for many years, hundreds of 5am runs, and so involved in her children’s athletics, she was named a Life Member in 2025. Wanting to encourage all children to be fit and healthy in their sport.

It could be said that her disability is the least memorable thing about her as she can always found sharing a story of positivity and hope to anyone who may be having their own troubles. Always trying to lift others up and help them find the thing to be grateful for.

She is often the busiest person you know, but somehow, she is never too busy to help someone else.

She sends cards. Like, real old fashion, in the post cards. Often having sat down and written a loving heart felt message inside. These are the small things that have always been important to her, showing someone, you care for them, in a small keepsake kind of way. She doesn’t miss an opportunity to show and tell someone that they are great, worthy and cared for.

She is always thinking about the person who has a worse situation than her, playing down how hard her own might be. Always trying to take care of herself so that others can care for people who ‘need it more’.

How Your Donation Will Help

It is not in Carissa’s nature to ask for help. She has continued work through all the above and tries to stay strong through it all. Because she will fight, again. Her best fight yet.

Carissa is doing everything she can to keep life stable for her two children and continuing some work in her finance broking business. But this latest diagnosis brings enormous emotional and financial strain, taking time off then having to reduce the amount she can work, mounting medical bills and the uncertainty of what is ahead.

Your donation will help ease the financial burden by contributing to:

Every donation, no matter the amount, will help Carissa to focus on what matters most — her health and time with her children.

Let’s Help Her Fight

Click the Donate button and help alleviate the pressure. If you can’t donate, please share her story and help us reach others who can.