THE Stawell and district community has continued to rally behind Stawell woman Leisa Cassidy, as she continues to fight her battle against Multiple Myeloma.
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Leisa was first diagnosed with the form of cancer in 2010. Multiple Myeloma is actually a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is an incurable cancer and one that is rarely seen in people of Leisa's age. It is generally found in males over the age of 60.
When Leisa was diagnosed, she and her family were absolutely devastated. At the time she was diagnosed, she had a nine-year-old son Josh and two daughters Ella, aged two and a half and Chloe, just 15 months old.
After undergoing bone biopsies and numerous tests, Leisa started her chemotherapy treatment. Twelve months after she was first diagnosed, it was decided that the treatment was not doing enough for her, so Leisa was sent to Melbourne, away from her friends and family, to consult a blood specialist for a stem cell transplant.
In September 2011, she underwent her first transplant. This involved first taking some of her cells, killing off the bad ones and harvesting the good ones. Leisa then underwent massive doses of chemotherapy 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 fell ill once again. It took four months in hospital in Melbourne before she was allowed back home to Stawell and be with her children and husband Brad. Leisa still then had to travel to Melbourne each month for six months for follow up treatment.
Instead of allowing all this to get to her, Leisa found the strength to organise a 20/20 cricket match and family fun day at Central Park, to help raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation. As a result of the day, a total of $18,000 was raised.
Shortly after the fundraiser though, there was more bad news.
Leisa was told that her transplant had not been successful and that her next option was another transplant, this time with a donor. Her brother Paul was tested and was a match, so the preparation for another transplant was underway.
This transplant took place 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 kindergarten year.
However, her journey was not about to end there. During May 2013, Leisa started to develop pain in her shoulder, back and pelvis. It was then detected that her cancer had returned and was more fierce than before.
Leisa started radiatrion treatment on her shoulder in November 2013 and in December, she was forced to have a full shoulder replacement, as the cancer had completely destroyed those bones.
The dawning of a new year, 2014, was to deliver Leisa and her family another blow. The pain in her pelvis increased and she now required radiation on her pelvis, which had been fractured from the cancer. By mid 2014 Leisa was in tremendous pain and needed to have more surgery. This, she described as the scariest surgery she had undergone so far.
In July her white cell count was sitting at just three, the lowest since her transplant and she developed an infection. This again put Leisa in hospital and bed rest for three weeks.
More radiation treatment is on the agenda for Leisa this year, as it was discovered she had developed lesions on her left hip and thigh.
This has been only part of the battle Leisa and her young family has endured.
Over the four year journey, Leisa has also had to endure bone biopsies, MRIs, CT scans, blood tests and chemotherapy four days in a row every month. She is understandably, extremely week and exhausted.
It's not surprising Leisa has the respect and love of all at the Stawell Warriors Football and Netball Club, as well as many in the community.
Warriors Netball Director, Susan Byron, said Leisa's fight has affected so many and that was why she decided, along with Leisa's sister-in-law Eleisha Clementson, to organise a family fun day fundraiser for the Cassidy family.
"Her husband Brad and the kids are her strength," Mrs Byron said.
"Leisa is one of the strongest, most generous and brave ladies that 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 emotional pressure and the whole process has been financially challenging on them.
"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 ensuite 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 week 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 tradesmen and people willing to help out with this project, but need assistance with either products, money or time to help out."
"Anything people 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 assist in making their lives just a little easier."
The Leisa Cassidy family fun day fundraiser will be staged at Central Park on Sunday, February 15. The day, which will run from 11am to 5pm, will include live entertainment, market stalls, jumping castles, raffles and auction items, showbags, face painting and much more.
There will be barbecues operating and other food items for sale throughout the day.
A highlight of the day will be the challenge between Stawell Warriors and Navarre Football Netball Clubs in a variety of sports, including Auskick, a 20/20 cricket match and also netball.
Anyone wishing to make a donation, or requiring further information, can contact Susan Byron on 0407 502 571 or Eleisha Clementson on 0400 631 685.