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Hi we are Lisa Zajac and Sarah Taylor the sister of two beautiful people Luci and Tim. We have decided to start this fundraiser to not only try and show support for Luci and Tim financially but to also raise awareness for breast cancer.
Please make sure you are having regular breast checks and if you notice or feel anything abnormal please follow up with a health professional. You know your body better than anyone. Do not take no for an answer if you feel something is not right.
Here is Luci and Tim’s all too real story.
Imagine being told you have cancer!
Imagine being told you have grade 3 breast cancer at 32.
Not only do you have grade 3 breast cancer at 32 but you are also pregnant with your second child at 30 weeks.
Well this is currently the nightmare that our sister and brother Luci and Tim are living.
Back in May2019 Luci found a lump in her breast and she consulted her GP regarding this who sent her off for the appropriate tests. Luci was put through an ultrasound and then a biopsy of the lump which came back as negative and benign. So as any young female would Luci put that behind her and continued to try and grow her family.
Role forward to Dec2019 the lump was still there but it had grown quite significantly. Being just before Christmas Luci decided to wait and get the hectic period out of the way and go back for follow up in the New Year to go back to her GP once things had settled down. Once back in his office she explained to him what she was there for. He was quite concerned at this stage and rang for an urgent appointment to see the breast specialist. Luci seen him the Friday 10th January and he took yet another ultrasound and biopsy. He stated to our sister and brother that it didn’t look good but he would wait for the results to come back in to be sure.
The specialist then rang Luci and Tim the following Monday 13th January with the devastating news that Luci in fact did have breast cancer as his suspicions were right. Luci, Tim and family were to make a plan when she seen him in his rooms that Friday 17th January. Luci was 30 weeks pregnant at the stage of the second ultrasound and biopsy.
Dr Douglas is a fantastic breast surgeon and breast specialist who not only cares for his patients but also the family of his patients. We sat in his room on Friday 17th January and again he told us the devastating news. It is a fast growing grade 3 tumour that needed to be operated on ASAP. Dr Douglas only operates from the Mater Hospital but Luci was a special case and he agreed to get the appropriate paperwork to have the right to operate and see Luci in the John Hunter Hospital, after Luci’s obstetrician’s strong advice. Luci had made the decision to remove her left breast which wasn’t an easy decision for any women but it was a decision that she felt quite strongly about. Luci went in for left Mastectomy on Thursday 23rd January at John Hunter Hospital under the care of Dr Douglas and his team. She recovered extremely well from this surgery but this was down to the fact that she has everything to live for.
During this hospital stay she met many doctors and the team that were going to care for her, including her medical oncologist Dr Lombard. Dr Lombard and Dr Park (Obstetrician) made the decision together that they would induce Luci at 33 weeks gestation and this would be done in at the John Hunter Hospital. This was a scary thought a baby being born 7-8 weeks early.
We had a consultation with Dr Lombard at the Mater Hospital on Tuesday 4th February who confirmed induction for Wednesday 5th and took us through the chemotherapy medications and the possibility of radiation therapy afterwards. Luci will undergo a 2 medication regime over the next 5 or so months.
Luci was induced on Wednesday 5th February exactly 33 weeks. Luci hadn’t progressed during the day so the decision that night was made to do a caesarean section. Although this wasn’t the best option for Luci and Tim as this would hold back chemotherapy for another week, it was the safest.
Baby Ada Amelia Mackersey was born Wednesday 5th February at 9:58pm. As family waited outside theatre and the delivery room for more information on Luci and baby Ada, Tim delivered what was the best news yet. Ada weighed a completely healthy 2kg. This was in fact a win being so premature and finally a win for the family.
Luci was taken to her ward to recover and Ada taken to Nicu to be looked after by the best nurses and doctors. She will remain in hospital for some weeks yet.
Luci was discharged home on Monday 10th February to recover enough for chemotherapy. Baby Ada stays in Nicu in the very good hands of the nurses.
During all of this Luci had to take leave earlier than expected from her position and Tim has taken indefinite leave from his position to look after Zoe who is almost 3 and Baby Ada when she comes home, while caring for his wife who undergoes chemotherapy on a weekly basis.
As you could imagine this causes a massive financial strain on the new young family who still have the regular bills coming in. By creating this page we are asking for support for our sister and brother in this time of need.
Again I cannot urge everyone enough to consider your own health, and get anything checked that might be unusual, family history or not, this disease does not discriminate.
The strongest women are given these challenges in life, this doesn’t make it right but Luci is an incredibly strong and brave young women who will recover in leaps and bounds and we believe will have a happy and prosperous
Please make sure you are having regular breast checks and if you notice or feel anything abnormal please follow up with a health professional. You know your body better than anyone. Do not take no for an answer if you feel something is not right.
Here is Luci and Tim’s all too real story.
Imagine being told you have cancer!
Imagine being told you have grade 3 breast cancer at 32.
Not only do you have grade 3 breast cancer at 32 but you are also pregnant with your second child at 30 weeks.
Well this is currently the nightmare that our sister and brother Luci and Tim are living.
Back in May2019 Luci found a lump in her breast and she consulted her GP regarding this who sent her off for the appropriate tests. Luci was put through an ultrasound and then a biopsy of the lump which came back as negative and benign. So as any young female would Luci put that behind her and continued to try and grow her family.
Role forward to Dec2019 the lump was still there but it had grown quite significantly. Being just before Christmas Luci decided to wait and get the hectic period out of the way and go back for follow up in the New Year to go back to her GP once things had settled down. Once back in his office she explained to him what she was there for. He was quite concerned at this stage and rang for an urgent appointment to see the breast specialist. Luci seen him the Friday 10th January and he took yet another ultrasound and biopsy. He stated to our sister and brother that it didn’t look good but he would wait for the results to come back in to be sure.
The specialist then rang Luci and Tim the following Monday 13th January with the devastating news that Luci in fact did have breast cancer as his suspicions were right. Luci, Tim and family were to make a plan when she seen him in his rooms that Friday 17th January. Luci was 30 weeks pregnant at the stage of the second ultrasound and biopsy.
Dr Douglas is a fantastic breast surgeon and breast specialist who not only cares for his patients but also the family of his patients. We sat in his room on Friday 17th January and again he told us the devastating news. It is a fast growing grade 3 tumour that needed to be operated on ASAP. Dr Douglas only operates from the Mater Hospital but Luci was a special case and he agreed to get the appropriate paperwork to have the right to operate and see Luci in the John Hunter Hospital, after Luci’s obstetrician’s strong advice. Luci had made the decision to remove her left breast which wasn’t an easy decision for any women but it was a decision that she felt quite strongly about. Luci went in for left Mastectomy on Thursday 23rd January at John Hunter Hospital under the care of Dr Douglas and his team. She recovered extremely well from this surgery but this was down to the fact that she has everything to live for.
During this hospital stay she met many doctors and the team that were going to care for her, including her medical oncologist Dr Lombard. Dr Lombard and Dr Park (Obstetrician) made the decision together that they would induce Luci at 33 weeks gestation and this would be done in at the John Hunter Hospital. This was a scary thought a baby being born 7-8 weeks early.
We had a consultation with Dr Lombard at the Mater Hospital on Tuesday 4th February who confirmed induction for Wednesday 5th and took us through the chemotherapy medications and the possibility of radiation therapy afterwards. Luci will undergo a 2 medication regime over the next 5 or so months.
Luci was induced on Wednesday 5th February exactly 33 weeks. Luci hadn’t progressed during the day so the decision that night was made to do a caesarean section. Although this wasn’t the best option for Luci and Tim as this would hold back chemotherapy for another week, it was the safest.
Baby Ada Amelia Mackersey was born Wednesday 5th February at 9:58pm. As family waited outside theatre and the delivery room for more information on Luci and baby Ada, Tim delivered what was the best news yet. Ada weighed a completely healthy 2kg. This was in fact a win being so premature and finally a win for the family.
Luci was taken to her ward to recover and Ada taken to Nicu to be looked after by the best nurses and doctors. She will remain in hospital for some weeks yet.
Luci was discharged home on Monday 10th February to recover enough for chemotherapy. Baby Ada stays in Nicu in the very good hands of the nurses.
During all of this Luci had to take leave earlier than expected from her position and Tim has taken indefinite leave from his position to look after Zoe who is almost 3 and Baby Ada when she comes home, while caring for his wife who undergoes chemotherapy on a weekly basis.
As you could imagine this causes a massive financial strain on the new young family who still have the regular bills coming in. By creating this page we are asking for support for our sister and brother in this time of need.
Again I cannot urge everyone enough to consider your own health, and get anything checked that might be unusual, family history or not, this disease does not discriminate.
The strongest women are given these challenges in life, this doesn’t make it right but Luci is an incredibly strong and brave young women who will recover in leaps and bounds and we believe will have a happy and prosperous