“My name is Kish, I’m a 35-year-old who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in October last year. There were no warning signs – things just hit, very suddenly.”

A summary of Kish’s story:

“Saturday 14th October felt like a normal day. My partner Paul and I took our dog, Otto, for a walk to the market in the morning. We did house chores in the arvo and went to the pub for a few beers friends in the evening. Suddenly, things started to change. I felt dizzy leaving the pub. By the time I got home, I was vomiting and had diarrhoea.”

“At the time, I didn’t think all that much of it. I thought I had food poisoning. By Monday, I was in the emergency room at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and was very sick. Things started to feel serious when the doctors told me I needed a blood transfusion. On Tuesday morning, the doctors confirmed I had blood cancer, which came as a shock to me and my family.”

“Since that day, it has been a rollercoaster. I was in ICU for a few weeks. I’ve had two rounds of chemo and now have a stoma bag (which I’ve named ‘Stevie’). In my first round of chemo, my rectum and bowel deteriorated. Both were recently removed.”

“I’m currently recovering from my most recent operation and the plan is then to have more chemo, followed by a stem cell transplant. Despite the challenges, I am trying to remain resilient. My family and I are now fundraising for the Leukaemia Foundation to help others with blood cancer.”

Kish is aiming to raise $100,000 and his family will be matching donations dollar for dollar for the rest of this year up to $100,000. Meaning come 1 Jan 2025 they plan to donate $200,000 to the Foundation. Join Kish on his journey towards recovery and supporting a crucial cause.