Out of nowhere, my sister Natasja has been diagnosed with one of the rarest and most challenging cancers: chordoma, a malignant tumor located in her brain. She’s already endured initial surgery in Australia, but this is just the beginning of a long and complex journey.

As treatment for chordoma isn’t available in Australia, and with a cost of ~$300k for the medical component alone, Natasja is now applying for Federal Government support to access specialist care overseas—most likely in the USA. The costs of travel, treatment, and ongoing support are immense, far beyond what our family can carry alone.

We’re reaching out to our community - near and far - to help ease this burden. Every donation, no matter the size, will go toward giving Natasja access to the support she needs, and a chance to focus on healing. Based in regional SA, she is currently unable to work consistently due to ongoing medical issues (pain and vision impairment) so contributions will go towards support that is not covered by any federal funding, such as incidentals, domestic responsibilities, food, mental health support, caring support while overseas, and outpatient appointment attendance.

Your support is more than financial, it’s a reminder that she’s not alone, that she’s surrounded by care, compassion, and encouragement every step of the way.

Any contribution is deeply treasured. If you’re not in a position to give financially but have another idea or way to help, please reach out to me (Anneliese) so we can bring it to life. Any messages left on this page will be forwarded to Tasj, and we'd appreciate you sharing this fundraising page far and wide.

Natasja is an outstanding pianist, animal whisperer, talented seamstress, car fixer, adventure travel lover, creative boilermaker, bookworm, makeup genius, and a cherished and irreplaceable friend and family member. Thank you so very much for making a true difference in Natasja’s journey.