Help Yvonne beat breast cancer for good this time.

Hello friends, family and kind strangers...

 

Thanks for taking the time to read about an extremely kind, resilient and generous woman named Yvonne Morandin.

We are asking for your support to help Yvonne and her young family with her fight against cancer again… Twice in three years.

I also want to share her journey and remind everyone to put your health first and advocate for yourself.

After a very challenging year personally, Yvonne was again diagnosed with HER2 amplified breast cancer in December.

This cancer is invasive and aggressive and is considered to be two new primary occurrences.

As you can imagine this came as a huge shock and filled us all with fear but the Oncology team were able to act quickly despite the festive season. A port and valve was inserted into Yvonne’s chest right before Christmas and another gruelling chemotherapy regime began on the 6th of January 2025.

Chemo has been incredibly tough as it hit her even harder than it did 3 years ago as her bone marrow levels hadn’t fully regenerated from last time. I could write a laundry list of side effects, which I wouldn’t wish upon anyone, but the worst being allergic reactions, heart palpitations, blood pressure issues, dizziness, skin infections, chest infections and pneumonia, nausea, vomiting, stomach upsets, ulcers, loss of taste and smell, nerve neuropathy, bone pain, blood noses, inability to concentrate, loss of toe nails and hair. This has meant she has bravely but quietly suffered for 2 out of every 3 weeks facing substantial sickness, side effects and with limited capacity, all while trying to be the best mum to her two boys (5 & 3) and be a wonderful wife, daughter, friend, aunt and sister.

Yvonne will be undergoing a double mastectomy with DIEP Flap abdominal reconstruction next month and then will still need ongoing immunotherapy until atleast the end of the year. Unfortunately radiation cannot be used as a treatment to the same site so the chemo has been even stronger. The double mastectomy & reconstruction is major and not only includes the complete removal of both breasts, nipples and lymph nodes, but also the relocation of blood vessels, tissue, skin and fat from the abdomen plus pec muscles and rib removal.

Her health insurance won’t cover the $40K DIEP reconstructive component of the surgery at a private hospital but Yvonne has been able to apply for financial distress compassionate assistance and will go through the public system with a private surgeon with some reduced costs thankfully.

It’s been over 4 months since her diagnosis which came only 5 days after Yvonne started her new job as an Account Manager at CoreLogic. Between being very unwell and navigating all the medical appointments (on average 3 each week I believe) it was clear she wasn’t going to be able to continue to work during her treatment and unfortunately since January has been on an extended unpaid leave of absence whilst she faces this challenge. The financial burden has now hit its peak leading me to reluctantly but graciously ask for help. Yvonne doesn’t want to feel needy or be a charity but the reality is that they have exhausted pretty much all options and are struggling and the bills and payment plans are piling up. We are lucky to live in Australia but every specialist appointment and many tests and medications are not covered plus the loss of 40% household income means they can no longer get by despite their best efforts.

We all love Yvonne and are super proud of her continued courage, strength, positivity and endurance.

Please support Yvonne and her family to get through this time and alleviate the pressure of the rising cost of living and all the medical and pharmaceutical bills.

I hope to prevent them from having to sell their beloved family caravan which they finally got late last year so that they could go make wholesome family memories and feel free.

To all of the amazing people in her life who have checked in, have been a shoulder to cry on, offered support and made meals, it has not gone unnoticed and means more than you will ever know.

Thank you for your time in reading this in support of Yvonne, Chris, Parker and Lincoln.

Check your breasts. Put your health first and advocate for yourself.

If you are able to help, the Morandin family and I would all be so grateful. If you aren’t able to help financially but want to chip in, you could always share this fundraiser with friends and loved ones through social media. Thank you all.

 

Love, Yvonne’s twin sister Sam.