Helping Melanie Whalan

We’ve organised this crowd fundraising page to help our beautiful friend Melanie Whalan with the transport costs for her to get to a treatment centre to aid her healing after her breast cancer treatment.

Mel has been through a horrific time in the last 15 months. While recovering from rotator cuff surgery, a lump was found in her breast. A lumpectomy was performed and the lump was found to be cancerous. Radiation treatment began mid December 2023 and finished in January 2024.

Due to the radiation treatment Mel’s breast tissue burned and blistered terribly. The burn treatment in hospital was not successful – the skin had no blood supply, the tissue died and turned necrotic, and infection set in. The dead tissue was removed and breast reconstruction surgery was performed but the radiation damage to the skin is so severe, the wound is unable to heal or close - it is incredibly painful even with around the clock medication. Mel is in really low spirits right now.

Mel’s doctor has referred her to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber that will generate new skin cells to help heal the wound. The hyperbaric chamber is in Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick, 63km from her home and approximately a $150 taxi/uber ride each way.  Mel is not able to drive right now, and public transport is out of the question, due to the open wound and the amount of pain she is in. The oxygen treatment is 2 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 8 weeks.  Transport costs for Mel to access the oxygen therapy are going to be around $10,000-$12,000!!

We’ve contacted a lot of organisations asking for funding:  the Cancer Council (only for cancer treatment), IPTAAS (too close – under 100km trip from treatment) The McGrath Foundation (only for cancer treatment/breast care nurse), Community Transport (too young), POW Hospital (no funds for transport), Campbelltown Hospital (no funds for transport) with no success.

To add to Mel’s health worries, she was told her role at the charity she has worked at for 20 years could not be held any longer, so now is out of work. A $12,000 transport bill is untenable for her now.

Can you help with any donation to go towards Mel’s transport costs?  Or can you volunteer to drive Mel there and/or home on any days you’re available? We have a Gather My Crew account for scheduling lifts, meals, home-help, shopping, and cleaning – if you’d like to join Mel’s Crew get in touch.

If you can help by donating any amount at all it will be an enormous help and very appreciated - and please send all your best wishes for Mel’s recovery.

Thank you.

With love, Jenni, Deb, Maree, Nade, Kam and Jack 🩷