Help Cassy’s Cancer Fight!

Thank you for coming to this page and giving me a moment of your time to read this story. Welcome!

To know Cassy is to LOVE her. She lights up a room, and is always the kindest person in it. If you have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Cassy, chances are you know someone who proudly forms part of her fan club. I can assure you this woman is as awesome as everyone says she is! She is the most selfless, loving and caring woman I know. She inspires me to love hard and openly, and to be the best person I can be. My name is Tabitha Mclachlan and I am Cassy's eldest niece. I am also a pharmacist and cancer researcher, and I am determined to help Cassy and her amazing family in any way that I can.

Cassy's story is not unlike many others. She detected a small lump in her breast, the lump being smaller than a clinker. A medical check up led to a number of tests and eventually a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. From the emotional moment the GP delivered this news until Cass met with her breast cancer specialist was agonising and felt like an eternity.

Where Cassy’s story is unlike many others, is her diagnosis of a triple negative squamous cell metaplasia breast cancer. A triple negative in breast cancer alone has a reduced survival rate compared with more common breast cancers. The squamous cell component then adds another level of complexity and rareness. Only 0.1% (that is 1 in 1000 cases) of breast cancer are this particular squamous cell type, and there is less research and information regarding this type of breast cancer.

Cassy underwent her first round of chemo in October, and at this stage her tumour was measuring around 8cm. The chosen chemo was one of the most aggressive and toxic chemotherapies used. Despite this, her tumour became enraged and continued to grow, causing Cassy extreme pain, discomfort, and emotional distress. Following a gut instinct, Cassy reached out to her surgeon who she had met in preparation for planned surgery after 8 rounds of chemo. The surgeon was amazing, arranging Cassy an appointment straight away, and at this appointment he agreed she needed to have surgery immediately.

Cassy’s surgery provided her with some much needed physical and mental relief, but devastatingly this relief was taken away as a follow up PET scan discovered every cancer patient’s worst nightmare, Metastasis in the lung. This discovery means the potential for cure is unlikely, and we now need to fight hard to give Cassy as much time as possible with her family.

As you can imagine, this has left Cassy, Greg, and their girls, Chelsea, Bella, and Sophie, stunned and absolutely devastated, and has broken the hearts of extended family and friends.

Cassy IS THE MOST caring and loving person I have ever met. Greg is the gold standard husband, and Cassy is the love of his life. Eldest daughter Chelsea (26) and her fiancé, Solomon, have an 20 month old son, Ellis, and they are expecting twins in January! Bella (23), is currently studying Occupational Therapy at the University of Newcastle, and Sophie (19) has followed in Cassy’s footsteps in disability support work.

To summarise, Cassy's cancer went from a small lump in September to over 10cm

(one of the biggest the surgeons have ever seen) in a month with lung metastasis already present. It is likely the time will come when this cancer will not respond to current regimes and we need to be able to fund therapies and further testing to provide additional information for the therapies. This is not covered by government funding.

Please join me in trying to raise the funds to support this incredible family and give Cassy as much time as we can!

Cassy has reluctantly allowed me to go ahead with this GoFundMe Page, so in keeping with who Cassy is, I know she would only want you to donate if you are in a position to. If you cannot donate, a share would also be so greatly appreciated. Or both!

Thank you so much for your time.

Tabitha

(for Team Cass!)