Mount Maria cancer battler Tess O’Connor to undergo Aussie first clinical trial

After a Bundaberg region teacher dismissed her abominable pain as menopause, her life was turned upside down when doctors revealed she was battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Tess O'Connor has remained a positive and joyful person despite her aggressive cancer diagnosis and is using her unique journey to encourage others to seek medical treatment for even the smallest suspicision.

A Mount Maria mum will be the first in Australia to undergo a futuristic clinical trial after a “shock” cancer diagnosis in late 2023.

Tess O’Connor first noticed abdominal pains in mid 2023, but quickly dismissed them, assuming that at 49-years-old she was going through menopauses, suspicions made stronger by intense night sweats and fevers.

Despite going in for a “full check-up”, Mrs O’Connor’s concerns were dispelled with a menopause diagnosis.

By late 2023 however, it was clear something more was going on, and after finding her curled in the foetal position due to intense pain her husband Paul insisted she attended the Bundaberg Hospital emergency room.

After a round of blood tests and scans, Mrs O’Connor was flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where a new diagnosis revealed a new reality.

She had developed refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and would need immediate treatment.

“When they actually came through with the diagnosis for lymphoma I was floored, because no one expects it,” she said.

“When they talked about the serious nature of it, that’s when the shock set in, it was a good four weeks of absolute shock.”

“It is reconciling with your own mortality which is the hardest thing.”

Despite the diagnosis forcing her to quiet her beloved job as a teacher in the Bundaberg region due to becoming immunocompromised, Mrs O’Connor remains a positive and vibrant person.

This positivity is bolstered by the fact in the coming weeks, she will be the first in Australia to undergo a clinical trial to attack her rare cancer.

As a result of the cancer Tess O'Connor's spleen grew 30cm long and her liver grew to twice its original size, and is still growing.

The CAR T therapy, which was only recently approved for funding in Australia, will involve medical staff taking a sample of Mrs O’Connor’s blood and re-engineering the T cells in the blood to attack cancer cells once returned to her bloodstream.

Mrs O’Connors is expected to undergo the treatment in the coming weeks, with American trials returning positive results including 80 -90 per cent of patients showing some response and 67 per cent of patients experiencing complete remission.

The battler said she is “excited” to undergo the treatment, though will have to remain in Brisbane for several weeks before and after the treatment.

While chatting about her medical journey, she said the weight of her diagnosis had allowed her to become an advocate for women and other to prioritise their own health.

“I try not to be negative about it, I try to talk to people about it because I want other women to be aware as well it might not be menopause, go get things checked out,” she said.

“Maybe there is something to be worried about, don't worry about coming across as a hypochondriac, because the doctors told me if I had left it for another couple of weeks that would have been the end for me.”

As Mrs O’Connors looks forward to the clinical trial, a close friend has launched a Go Fund Me to support her journey which carries the burden on travel and accommodation costs on top of treatment.

While the cancer diagnosis has reshaped her life, Mrs O’Connors was deeply grateful to the “absolutely sensational” medical team which has supported her through her ongoing treatment.

Those interested in contributing to the Go Fund Me, and learning a little more about Mrs O’Connor’s journey can do so here.