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Last wish: Young terminal cancer patient go home to WA coast
0% complete
$2,065 raised of $15K AUD
19 donations
Hi, my name is Tahlia and I'm currently 33 years old, i am trying to be a fighter as much as i can.
For the last 9 years since i was 25 i have been in a relentless battle with breast cancer, lymph node cancer and a foot tumour and have been giving that everything i thought i have. I relocated from cairns to Victoria after struggling by myself. This journey has included over 10 major surgeries and gruelling rounds of chemo and radiation. Through almost all of it i have continued to work as a chef, I've only taken around 2 years off in the last decade and that was when i was physically forced by the hospital from chemo, surgeries or radiation and from the exhaustion and recoveries from ongoing treatment, surgeries etc. I have never had a break from treatments from my first diagnosis 9 years ago and they have constantly changed as i have never been or never will be put into remission. I moved to Victoria to be close to my family. In that time i have meet my husband and things seemed to be going good. 2 years ago i lost my dad unexpectedly to cancer and was to late for him once we found out and was within a matter of months we lost him. Me and my husband got married and organised a small wedding in a month so my dad could walk one of his kids down the isle before passing, it was a beautiful day and wouldn't change it for anything. Not long after we lost my dad and was already grieving that when i found out the news that nobody wants to hear, your cancer is now terminal with defiantly a timeline of less then 8 years to live (this was over 1 year ago). Since this diagnosis me and my husband used what little amount was in my super and our life savings to move from regional Victoria to warragal to be with the remaining of my family through this struggle for support and just to be here with them through ongoing treatments. Unfortunately due to circumstances that support was never upheld and has fallen apart. Now we find ourselves isolated and alone in new town , know nobody and my husband is working as much as he can in between taking days off every few weeks for treatment, scans and appointments as i am now in the stage and have been placed onto palliative care and have been given paperwork for my end of life forms and wishes for treatment etc. because of this and the stress of the cost of living, rent, car, treatment and medication costs, my husband is going to take up a second jobs doing uber eats at night time to make up for lost hours and i am returning to work this week so we can try and save to get to western Australia, where i was born in Fremantle while i still have time. My deepest wish is to return to western Australia around the Perth or coast area where there is a beach, is safer, better treatment, some family and more work opportunity's for my husband also. Anyone that knows me knows i love the ocean, swimming, nature and the warmer lifestyle, western Australia is where i truly belong and the freedom and the ocean air and sunlight will give me the strength and hope to carry on as long as i can. In the process of moving my husband , elderly dogs and cat are my absolute lifeline and my family and cant go without them. They all provide the emotional support i have needed and keeps me going. Its a big trip to move our whole life and treatment over 3500km away and there is a massive cost that we can not manage alone while trying to keep our head above water at the moment. We are asking for your help please, anyone that knows me knows that i wouldn't normally ever do this or ask for help but is trying to get "home" and still have time to have some what of a life with my husband and dogs before i cant anymore and is strong enough to make the trip without needing medical palliative care assistance. I want to be able to have some of a life with my husband and for us to be happy and have some support after so many years of doing this alone, this takes a big toll on him also mentally and is doing everything he can working as hard as he can and when he is not doing that he looking after me and the animals, cooking, cleaning, driving, appointments, paying for all costs selflessly and never spends time or money on himself ever, he is doing everything a current 29 can do to making our life better. i couldn't live a day without him In total we are aiming for to raise $15,000 of the $20,000 needed to get over there. Me and my husband are doing everything and working hard to come up with and save half of the cost while trying to manage all other expenses and at this rate will take us years in this cost of living to save the full amount. The money and all donations will be going ONLY towards moving costs
The journey- $2000 would be for fuel and pet friendly accommodation for to nights on the way plus car servicing before leaving
The rental and bond money- $5200 ($3500 (min rent and bond), plus $1700 extra ( 3 weeks extra rent so my husband can find job, move in and drive over, organise hospital and palliative care stuff) As people know the cost of living we would have to apply for a house around $500/$550 per week to be in a half decent area and be close to a hospital (we currently pay nearly $500 in regional vic for a unit next to trainline)
The ambulance cover, medication and fees- $800 would cover having to pay for a St john ambulance cover fee in western Australia, medications and fees for ambulance in states we are driving thru in case of emergencies. Travelling such a long distance not under hospital escort being on palliative care can be extremely risky and dangerous and have to be prepared in case something does happen. (A interstate escorted medical transport with a nurse for myself would be up to $15,000 and is not a realistic option)
The moving cost for personal items and furniture- $6000 would be for a moving company with one small to med size truck to do one trip and take our furniture and our personal sentimental items we cannot part with as we can not put a tow ball on our car and will have the animals and myself and husband so cant fit anything in car.
The hidden moving costs and emergencies- $1500 would be for spare tyres, extra night if i was sick or needed to rest, in case something happened with car or tyres and needed urgent repair, vet in case 2 elderly dogs(15 and 13 years old) have an emergency in car and heat, medication and ambulance.
Packing boxes and packing- $1500 would be for packing boxes, packing supplies like tape and bubble wrap and my husband would need some days to pack house and furniture before truck.
The cost of animals-$1000 would pay check-ups, before we leave for the dogs and cat and up to date on vaccinations ect. A container and battery operated bubbler for our axolotl that we are going to take in the car. When we arrive we need to do interstate transfers of registrations.
Food for us and pets- $500 would cover the cost of food on the way there and the first night in WA for me as i cant eat everything now and need fresher food on the way for my medications also. This would include for for the animals on the trip there and on first night.
All of this comes to a total of $18,000 and haven't planned for any other unexpected costs yet but think this covers most of what we will need and where the money would go. Anything and everything would be more then appreciated and being going towards this final dream and leap of faith for a better life. Thank you everybody.





