Help Julie Walsh and Scott McKenzie and Mason

Dear Friends, Family and Compassionate strangers, our beautiful little family needs your help.

About Julie : In June 2021 the love of my life; Julie Walsh experienced excruciating pain in her back leading to diagnostic tests, revealing an inoperable Stage 4 pancreatic cancer located in the tail of her pancreas. Subsequently, a porta Cath was inserted to facilitate the necessary chemotherapy, spanning five hours at the clinic, followed by a take-home bottle attached to the porta Cath for an additional 36 hours. This regimen continued through 10 rounds. In the last two weeks of December, she underwent five rounds of radiation.

Between that period and March 2023, one of the four non-alarming liver spots exhibited a 3mm growth, prompting the clinic to recommend a microwave ablation procedure at the hospital. Following this intervention, chemotherapy resumed, but by late January 2024, jaundice set in. Scans uncovered a blockage in her pancreas/liver, necessitating the insertion of a stent.

Resuming chemotherapy after complications, she has undergone a total of 19 rounds over the course of three years. Throughout this challenging journey, she has faced numerous hospitalizations due to complications and side effects stemming from the treatment. The endless appointments challenges and tears have been an incredible struggle.

About Myself: I myself am also unable to work as I was born with congenital heart disease, specifically Transposition of the Great Arteries in 1974, I underwent the Mustard procedure/Atrial Switch Repair. At the age of 12, I began experiencing ongoing AV Junction re-entrant tachycardia, leading to my first pacemaker implant at 20. Over the years, I underwent multiple pacemaker replacements.

In January 2020, I underwent surgery for a new pacemaker and a Defib shock coil patch. Unfortunately, in April 2020, I found myself in the ICU due to Acute Pulmonary Edema.

March 2022 brought another health challenge as I underwent open paraumbilical hernia repair, including resection and anastomosis of the small bowel, resulting in a 17-day hospital stay.

A heart ablation in November 2019 took a complicated turn, leading to Respiratory Failure and Hypotension, requiring a three-day ICU stay.

In December 2022, my GP and cardiologist advised me to stop working, citing its detrimental impact on my health. Despite dedicating 15 years to employment at Woollies, the prognosis for my health and heart is discouraging, with little prospect for improvement. A potential heart transplant looms on the horizon as a possibility for the future.

Why your support Matters: We have done everything we can to support ourselves through the last few years, including cashing out superannuation to finance medical bills and living expenses etc. However, with neither of us now being able to work, all these expenses are catching up with us and am in a position now were we need to ask for help. (this is something that does not come easy to us ) Our fights, ( especially Julies) has taken such a toll in so many ways. The financial and emotional burden is real and large.

How Your Contribution will make a difference: Any donation large or small will go directly to current medical expenses, easing our cost-of-living pressures as well as putting money aside for our son Mason. Mason is our 11 year old son, who for the last 3 years had also had to endure all the challenges we have gone through. If its not visiting mum in the hospital its visiting dad. He has been by Julies side through it all. Not something I wish on any kid. I know it would make Julie and myself feel more at ease knowing that Mason also has support no matter what happens.

Please donate, every dollar makes a difference no matter what the size of the donation.

We understand the cost of living pressures at this time also, so please if you aren’t in a position to donate please SHARE..

Pray and send positive vibes. Your well wishes would mean the world to Julie and our family.