Meet our mum, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunty, and friend, Mary. The most selfless, kind and positive woman who continues to inspire us even in her toughest times. Mary’s generosity radiates to not only family and friends but also strangers. Her door is always open to those in need – but now, she needs your help.
Mary was diagnosed with Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in 2005. Since her first diagnosis, she has battled this disease with courage and strength. Even through the rollercoaster of remission and recurrence, her positivity and hope has never faltered.
It’s not uncommon for words like strength, hope, and even miracles to be used when referring to cancer. Mary’s story is nothing short of this.
In 2006, as she entered the first of her remission phases, her journey was met with more hardship when she suffered a stroke. As she lay in a hospital bed, with no feeling on her right side, Mary was told she would never talk or walk again. As her family and friends rallied around the woman they loved so dearly – such was her impact on the lives of many – Mary refused to let this diagnosis become a reality. For Mary, this wasn’t a setback, it was part of her story. With sheer determination, persistence, and yes, stubbornness to not let her disease rule her life, Mary beat the odds. Just a short time later, she was on her feet and talking about her experience. It was then we knew as family, she was not going to let the cancer beat her.
Throughout her journey, Mary has been involved with a variety of clinical drug trials which have improved her quality of life and kept her disease under control. This has allowed her to live a life of gratitude, service and inspiration.
Fast forward to 2022 and after years of battling and living with CLL, Mary is now facing a new hurdle. The cancer has returned in an aggressive form. Mary requires new treatment options to keep her cancer at bay as she prepares for an impending bone marrow transplant.
She is determined to kick cancer to the curb and she hasn’t let her fear or illness defeat her spirit. With the hope that this new treatment can help her once again beat CLL, the hurdle Mary now faces is that it costs more than $11,000 per bottle and is not covered by the PBS.
For a woman who has given her all to not only her own life but that of so many, this is a bitter pill to swallow, so to speak. But one that, once again, she will not let overcome her, or her family.
Mary has been married to her beloved spouse of 29 years, Roger, and has three children – Gerard, Rebecca and Tanya, as well as her daughter-in-law Ali, her son-in-law Jack, her grandchild Ignatius with another on the way. Mary is proud of her Greek heritage and with that comes an immense love for her immediate and extended family. This family includes her two siblings, cherished mother, and more nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews than one can count. They are and always will be her number one. She is deeply loved by her extended relatives as well as her friends.
Anyone who has ever met Mary or is lucky enough to call her family or a friend, will not hesitate to tell you they are all the better for knowing her. She makes us all want to be better – a better mum, a better sister, a better friend, a better person.
She is love personified.
She never judges; she is open-minded; she is selfless; and she spends most of her time worrying about everyone else more than she does herself. She never complains about her situation or the hand she has been dealt. She puts everyone else first; she is surrounded by the support of her family and friends, and never asks for help. In fact, she does the helping.
It won’t ever feel like enough, helping her in this way. And yet, it’s everything. We will never give up on the woman who has never given upon us.
And it’s for that very reason we reach out to you today. To ask for your help. We would appreciate any donation to help Mary fight this battle and cover the financial medical costs to continue this treatment.
With immense gratitude and appreciation,
Mary’s children.