Support Vanessa's Leukeamia & Transplant Journey

Hi there, this is an appeal to make life just a little easier on this journey to health and healing.

Without a bone marrow transplant, Vanessa has been given a 10-15% chance of surviving the next two years.

Vanessa was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in March of 2021. While CML is a rare blood cancer, it is highly treatable, and is often dubbed 'the good cancer'. Whilst she, her French Husband Jerome and their gorgeous twin boys Julian and Luca took it in their stride, unfortunately she is in the small percentage of people who ultimately do not respond to treatment.

The initial prognosis was very good and simply meant taking medication. Everyone was in good spirits and ready to get on with life with CML......this went well until it didn't. A change of medication was required, and while side effects were a little more prominent and the schedule was a little more difficult, this second generation medication appeared to be working. Again, the treatment faltered and things moved in the wrong direction. Vanessa's numbers began to climb, and it was time to move onto the third and last generation of medication, and start to talk about a bone marrow transplant.

Since Vanessa began this last medication she has been in and out of hospital and is now waiting on a date for her Bone Marrow Transplant. There are good days and bad, but Vanessa is no longer able to to work, and due to her compromised immune system, is mostly at home. Fevers, aches and pains are just a part of the regular routine now, and it's time to move on to the next solution!

Vanessa's incredible siblings Hayden and Casey rushed in for testing, and despite the small 25% chance, Casey is a match for the transplant!

Around May of this year Vanessa will head down to Brisbane for her transplant and will be there for 4months. Her Mum Cheryl will be with her as her carer, and therefore unable to help with the kids. This fundraising effort is primarily to remove financial stress as a factor. It will help with the additional costs of childcare, perhaps allowing Jerome to take some time off here and there to be with her when needed. Plenty of PJ's and books will be needed! Bedding to sweat through. If the bills pile in, there will be a safety net to pay them and get on with the big task of healing and getting home. Once home the healing journey will continue, with past patients saying she may be in PJ's for the better part of a year. Physical therapy will be needed to get her strength back. Wonderful family friend Zoe has volunteered to make several trips up from Wollongong to be here for the kids, and we would love to help with her flights.

If you are willing and able to contribute in any way it would mean so much!