At just 26, Stefan’s life changed in an instant.
It was a phone call that delivered the news no one ever expects. Only weeks earlier, he had proposed to his partner, Chanel, on 9 February. By 11 March 2022, he was being told he had aggressive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
“It was a big shock to the system,” he recalls. “You never think it’s going to be something like that.”
After Stefan’s chemotherapy failed, he was transferred to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, where he would spend 101 days straight on Ward 7 South.
During that time, he had to relearn the basics. At times he couldn’t walk or even shower on his own. But what stayed with him most wasn’t just the clinical care; it was the people.
“The team were amazing. They became an extension of our family,” he says. “They made it possible for Chanel to stay with me 24/7. It wasn’t just medical, they looked after every part of you.”
When Stefan’s sibling wasn’t a suitable match, the ONJ Centre staff faced the search for a bone marrow donor. Against the odds, a match was found overseas.
Alongside life-saving treatment, it was the small moments that made the biggest difference. Weekly massage therapy. Music therapy which helped Chanel and himself sleep. Conversations with the spiritual care leader when his fiancé and Mum both needed a break from being his carers.
“Those moments let you forget what you’re going through, even just for a minute,” he says. “And knowing now that many of these services are funded by donations, it means so much.”
Today, Stefan is in remission and determined to give back.
“Unfortunately, everyone is touched by cancer in some way. I just hope these contributions make a difference for the next person going through it.”
Please consider
donating to support Stefan’s fundraising and help improve care for patients on Ward 7 South.