Bob Katter’s nephew, Liam O’Brien reveals desperate struggle with rare form of leukaemia

The nephew of a famous Queensland politician is facing a grim life expectancy of two to five years unless he receives crucial medical treatment, triggering a desperate call for lifesaving help from adults under age 35.

A shock health diagnosis for a Brisbane father of two – and member of a well-known Queensland family – has prompted a desperate call for lifesaving help from adults under age 35.

Liam O’Brien, the nephew of politicians Bob Katter and cousin of Robbie, is facing a grim life expectancy of two to five years unless he receives a stem cell transplant.

Shortly after his 40th birthday in May last year, Mr O’Brien felt unusually lethargic and was bruising easily. When the otherwise healthy corporate financial advisor went to get checked out, he was devastated to learn he had a form of leukaemia most commonly found in people over 60.

Liam O’Brien is facing a grim life expectancy of two to five years unless he receives a stem cell transplant.

“I was shocked – your mind immediately turns to your family and your loved ones,” said Mr O’Brien, who with wife Josephine has two children, Robert, 4, and Sophia, 3.

Mr O’Brien has spent the past 10 out of 12 weeks in hospital, battling complications relating to the disease – myelodysplastic syndrome – and chemotherapy.

“The only cure is a stem cell transplant,” he said, “anything else is just kicking the can down the road and buying a bit of time.”

For stem cell transplants to be successful, donor stem cells must ideally match all 10 characteristics of the transplant patient’s bone marrow makeup. This makes a perfect match rare but not impossible.

Liam O’Brien in hospital with wife Josephine has two children, Robert, 4, and Sophia, 3.

“What we know is there is no ideal match for me now, so we are in a process of trying to identify and confirm part matches, and trying to add as many new people to the donor registry as possible,” he said.

Josephine O’Brien – who has started an Instagram account to raise awareness #lifesavinglist – said there were three things people in the crucial age bracket of 18-35 could do to potentially help not only her husband but others around the world who are battling leukaemia.

“Go and give blood at Red Cross Lifeblood; ask to join the global stem cell register, then give a bit more blood,” Mrs O’Brien said.

“The joy someone gets from literally saving another person’s life is disproportionately great,” she said, “and the process is very simple for the donor”.

Research has found that cells from younger donors mean better long-term survival for transplant patients.

According to the Leukaemia Foundation, around 20,000 Australians were diagnosed with blood cancer such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma in 2022, while 135,000 are currently living with one of these diseases.

The incidence of blood cancer has risen by 47 per cent in the past decade. By 2035, more than 275,000 Australians are expected to be living with a blood cancer or blood disorder.

You can register here to become a donor.