My big brother Brendan is 31 years old, a husband to Sabine and a Dad to two little girls; Eliana (2 years old) and Ayla (9 months old). They have had an unimaginable past 14 months.

On 28 February 2025, Brendan collapsed during a run in the National Park from a brain bleed caused by an undiagnosed, aggressive brain tumour. Sabine was 14 weeks pregnant and Eliana had just turned one.

Following the bleed and horrible diagnosis, Brendan spent ten weeks in hospital due to a number of complications including brain swelling and having part of his skull removed to manage this, paralysis of his left side and surgeries to attempt to remove as much of the tumor as possible. At the time we were all told Brendan's condition was terminal but there was some hope for some good years based on treatment available and some positive factors on Brendan's side like his young age and health before his bleed.

Over the past year Brendan has been in and out of hospital for further surgeries, undergone chemotherapy and radiation therapy, relearned how to be mobile, lost his peripheral vision and his ability to drive, work and perform daily tasks for himself. Brendan still requires ongoing support and care for basic tasks such as showering. Ayla also arrived five weeks early and spent time in the Special Care Nursery while Brendan was mid-treatment.

April 2026

On 20 April, Brendan was suddenly readmitted to hospital with a new, aggressive tumour in a different location of his brain. He underwent his fifth brain surgery. Devastatingly, he has been given a prognosis of 'months not years' with no further treatment available to him in Australia, aside from the possibility of more chemotheapy and radiationtherapy but have been told this will only offer Brendan 'modest benefits'.

Whilst there is no cure for Brendan's tumor, there is a vaccine treatment available in Germany, not offered in Australia, that represents his best remaining option at giving him more quality time. The cost of the treatment alone is approximately €80,000, and it is our goal to be able to get Brendan to Germany if he is well enough to travel and if this treatment remains a viable option.

What we need your help with:

Brendan’s immediate goal is to be with us to celebrate Ayla’s first birthday in July, however with the possibility of treatment in Germany we are hopeful of so much more than that.

The family have resisted financial support for over a year now however as Brendan's condition has become so critical, their only option left is to go down this path (reluctently) to fight for Eliana and Ayla to have more time with their much loved Daddy.

We are so beyond grateful and deeply thankful for any support, big or small you can offer, or for your positive and well wishes if financial support is not something possible.