People come into our lives for a reason. We all have our own reasons why Charlie has come into our lives and our own reasons for us coming into Charlie's life. And we all have our own reasons why it is so important to us to support Charlie and her family through this challenging time. No one person is responsible for bringing this fundraiser together - it is a combination of many people wanting to help - Charlie's boss just put her foot down and told Charlie that we will do it anyway (Charlie does not like to take handouts) - but every single one of us do not consider our efforts and donations as charity or handouts. We see it as helping a friend - helping a beautiful person who would do the same if the tables were turned.

Charlie's story ...

Almost five years ago, in 2021, Charlie was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer called myelofibrosis (MF).

MF is one of a group of rare blood cancers called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). It affects the bone marrow’s ability to produce healthy blood cells and can cause severe fatigue, anemia, bone pain, night sweats, an enlarged spleen and many other symptoms.

It’s a disease most people have never heard of and before her diagnosis, neither had Charlie.

For several years, treatment and a clinical trial have helped control her disease. But over the past year, MF has become increasingly difficult to manage, with worsening blood counts, significant fatigue and other symptoms.

Her most recent bone marrow biopsy showed that only around 20% of her marrow was cellular, reflecting the impact the disease has had on her ability to produce healthy blood cells.

After years of treatment and many discussions with her hematology and transplant teams, Charlie has now reached the point where an allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) is being recommended.

For selected people with myelofibrosis, a donor stem cell transplant is currently the only treatment with the potential to cure the underlying disease.

It is also a major treatment. There will be chemotherapy, the transplant itself, a period of significant vulnerability to infection and a long recovery while her new immune system establishes itself.

There are real risks involved, but Charlie and her medical team have decided this is the path she needs to take.

Why we want to help

A stem cell transplant doesn’t simply mean having a procedure and then going back to normal life.

Charlie is likely to be unable to work for at least 12 months. Her husband, Johnny, will also need to take an extended period away from work to care for her.

That means their household will lose two incomes at the same time.

Meanwhile, the mortgage and ordinary household expenses don’t stop, and all the other costs of running a household, as well as medical expenses, prescriptions, hospital travel, parking and unexpected costs associated with transplant and recovery.

When we looked at what several months without two incomes could realistically mean, an $75,000 fundraising target was suggested.

We know that sounds like a lot, and Charlie was understandably hesitant about that number.

But this isn’t $75,000 of medical bills.

It’s intended to provide a financial safety net for approximately six months without normal household income, while allowing for living costs, the mortgage, medical and recovery expenses and a modest emergency buffer.

What we really want to give her

We’re not trying to give Charlie anything extravagant.

We want to give her something much simpler: the freedom to concentrate on getting well.

Charlie has continued working and showing up for people through years of treatment, fatigue, appointments and everything MF has thrown at her.

She is someone who is much more comfortable helping others than accepting help herself.

But this time, she needs to be able to put her energy into treatment and recovery without constantly worrying about the mortgage, household bills or whether taking time away from work is financially possible.

We want her to have the chance to focus on getting through the transplant, getting home to her family and rebuilding her strength.

If you can help

There is absolutely no expectation that anyone should donate.

If you can contribute, thank you. If you can’t, sharing this fundraiser, sending a message or simply keeping Charlie and her family in your thoughts means just as much.

Every contribution, no matter how small, will help take some of the financial pressure away during an incredibly difficult period.

And if circumstances change and Charlie doesn’t ultimately need all of the funds raised, the intention is for genuinely unused funds to support MPN Alliance Australia, an organisation close to her heart. But she has strict instructions from her work colleagues that she can only donate after making the trip back to the UK to see her family, who she was supposed to visit in October 2026 but couldn't make the trip due to her transplant.

We know Charlie would much rather be the person helping someone else than the person asking for help.

So we’re asking on her behalf.

Not because she can’t cope.

But because she shouldn’t have to cope with everything alone.

Thank you for reading her story, for caring, and for helping us give Charlie and Johnny some breathing space during the road ahead.

With love and gratitude,

The team at Shifty Lizard Brewing Co, our Shifty regulars, musicians, customers and Charlie’s friends ❤️

P.S. We are going to give Charlie access to this page as she would love to give updates as she is going through the treatment Xx