I AM writing to you to share the story of Leisa Cassidy.
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I hope that you will take the time to read it and might be able to assist us to help Stawell lady Leisa and her beautiful family.
In 2010, Leisa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.
It is an incurable cancer. It is rarely seen in people of Leisa’s age and is generally found in males older than 60.
When Leisa was diagnosed with this terrible disease, she and her family were absolutely devastated and shocked.
At the time she was diagnosed she had a nine-year-old son, Josh, and two daughters, Ella, 2, and Chloe, 15 months.
After undergoing bone biopsies and numerous tests she began her chemo treatment.
Twelve months after she was first diagnosed, it was decided that the treatment was not doing enough for her.
Leisa was then sent off to Melbourne, away from her friends and family, to see a blood specialist for a stem cell transplant.
In September 2011 she underwent her first transplant.
It involved firstly taking some of her cells, killing off the bad ones and harvesting the good ones.
Leisa then underwent massive doses of chemo to entirely kill off all her cells.
Leisa lost her hair, was terribly ill and could not get out of bed; she then received her new cells back.
This should have been the start of her road to recovery, but instead she developed pneumonia and was gravely ill.
It took four months in hospital, in Melbourne, before she was allowed back home to Stawell to be with her children and husband Brad.
Leisa still then had to travel to Melbourne monthly, for six months of follow ups.
Instead of allowing this to get to her, Leisa organised a Twenty20 cricket match and family fun day to help raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation, raising $18,000.
Shortly after the fundraiser Leisa was told her transplant had not been successful and her next option was another transplant, this time with a donor.
Her brother, Paul, was tested and was a match, so then the preparation for another transplant began.
This transplant was in August 2012, meaning another four months in Melbourne away from her family.
Leisa missed most of Josh’s final year at primary school and her eldest daughter’s kinder year.
During May 2013, Leisa started to develop pain in her shoulder, back and pelvis.
It was then detected her cancer had returned and fiercer than before.
In November 2013, Leisa started radiation on her shoulder. December saw her undergo a full shoulder replacement as the cancer had completely destroyed those bones.
Last year, 2014, arrived and the pain in her pelvis increased. She was now in need of radiation on her pelvis, which had been fractured from the cancer.
By mid-2014, Leisa was in tremendous pain and needed to have another surgery. She described it as her scariest surgery so far.
In July, her white cell count was sitting at three – the lowest since her transplant – and she developed an infection.
This again put Leisa in hospital and bed rest for three weeks.
In August, Leisa developed lesions on her left hip and thigh, which required more radiation treatment.
This story is only about the major hospital visits during the past four years.
Leisa has also had to endure bone biopsies, MRIs, CT scans, blood tests and chemo four days in a row every month and is extremely weak and exhausted.
Her husband Brad and kids are her strength. Leisa is one of the strongest, most generous and brave ladies we have ever known.
She rarely complains and if she does it is generally about being away from her family.
Brad has a painting business and is often required to take time off to look after Leisa and their young family.
The family is under enormous and emotional pressure and the whole process has been financially challenging.
Brad and Leisa are very proud people and have never complained or asked for anything, so a small group of her friends, Stawell Football Club people and her family are wanting to raise some money to help build an en suite for Leisa so she has easy access to her own bathroom and not have to walk quite a distance to the family bathroom.
This will be fabulous for Leisa when she is so weak and unwell.
We have had some plans drawn up from what Leisa has told us she would like in the future, we have some local tradesman and people willing to help out with this project but need assistance with either products, money or time to help out.
Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated by this very proud and strong family.
We do not know what the future holds for Leisa and her family, but doing this for them will help make their lives just a little easier.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime if you would like to help in any way.
Susan Byron
Stawell Football Netball Club netball director