Nadine continues to fight Metastatic Melanoma

Hi, I'm Marion and I'm updating everyone on Nadine's battle with the diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. I've left her story below however this is where she is now at...

Final Update

Hi everyone, we have almost reached our goal and for that Nadine and family are so very grateful! The love and support shown by family and friends has truly helped Nadine in her fight, knowing how much people genuinely care about her battle and have dug deep to help them through the financial difficulties is just amazing!

Nadine has lost her hearing due to the immunotherapy treatment, a blow she didn't need however she is on the cochlear implant journey now and we are hoping this helps her feel connected again.

Last testing showed nearly all tumours were inactive, a blessing we are all so grateful for, the medical team will be closely monitoring her situation over the coming months.

So we are now deactivating this account. Thank you everyone for your kindness, thoughtfulness and love.

With deepest gratitude

Nadine, Don and family and

Marion

Continuing update -

After a truly dreadful battle over the past 4 months with two double immunotherapy treatments and losing her hearing due to the treatment, Nadine has been given some positive news from the latest PET scan that all tumors have shrunk or disappeared, there is no active disease anywhere in her body apart from her thigh (where the primary melanoma is they think) and her tibia. The medical team are investigating a cochlear implant in one ear as she cannot hear anything. This makes her feel disconnected from everyone around her and had been a massive mental hurdle. She still needs someone to support her each day as the hearing loss has caused dizziness too. At this point, Don is still unable to work as she needs 24/7 help and has been told it will be at least 9 months until they will consider her driving again. Multiple and regular trips to Brisbane cost in petrol too. They have found out they have a house to move into but Nadine needs airconditioning put in the house now as well.

If you would like to give towards her continuing battle please do so or support her by sharing this GFM around with family and friends.

What happened at the start -

After testing for pain in her side, Nadine has been told she has stage 4 metastatic cancer from melanoma which has now been detected in her kidney, colon, brain, thyroid, bones and leg. In just one week, her life has been turned upside down, and she is facing a massive battle as doctors try to work out what to do next. We aren’t sure exactly what she is facing just yet, what treatment is possible or what the prognosis is but Don, her husband, needs to be available to support her and their three girls, Tiana and Aleah, 17 and Sharni, 11, while Nadine is hospital bound. The lesions on her brain mean she needs someone with her at all times due to the risk of seizures, which means Don is unable to work and it will take at least 6 weeks for any Centrelink support. Expenses are mounting; it costs $70 a day just for hospital parking! They are currently living in a tiny 2 bedroom unit as they have been unable to secure a place they can afford this year after losing their long-term rental due to unaffordable price hikes. You may know Nadine and Don from when they owned Sunshine, Sunshine Espresso in Currimundi. There they opened their hearts and lives to the community, organised fundraisers and charity events and gave all they had to the people and pets who visited their café. Now it’s our turn to give back to this wonderful family.

Nadine is no stranger to medical battles, as 17 years ago their twin girls were born at 24 weeks. For 17 years Nadine has given her all to her family, to the girl’s health and to ensure they have every possible medical support, which has financially drained them over the years. Tiana was born with craniosynostosis and has had several operations to create space for her brain to grow. Both girls have needed expensive dental work and support for schooling. Nadine and Don have tirelessly run between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane for medical appointments for their twin girls. It’s unbelievable that now, Nadine is having to fight her own medical battles.

We all love this bright, bubbly and loving woman; she has one of those memorable and infectious laughs. My niece is always the first to open her heart and give generously, so now we want to give generously back to ease their financial burdens and support them on the long and rough road ahead. Whatever the journey she is about to face, we want her to know she is loved and cared for. Thank you for giving what you can and helping Nadine, Don and their girls. Funds will be used to keep food on the table, bills paid, petrol in their car and medical costs.

UPDATE 6/10/22 - Nadine starts treatment today for the melanoma with Oncology; all our love and prayers are with her!