Rockhampton mum Brianna Jacobsen in Wesley Hospital after Leukaemia diagnosis

The community is rallying around a Rockhampton mother after she received a “shockingly unexpected” cancer diagnosis weeks after celebrating her birthday. Read her story here.

A woman who has been well-known for helping people in the community is now asking for their help, while also trying to give back, after receiving a “shockingly unexpected” diagnosis.

At the start of June Brianna Jacobsen became unwell, just a few weeks after celebrating her birthday in May.

“Bri always enjoyed socialising with friends and being involved with her kids and loved going to work,” said Brianna’s friend Ludy North.

“She worked her way to a management position...she lives a ‘home body’ style of life.”

Brianna noticed bruises starting to spread before she was diagnosed.

Brianna was first diagnosed with influenza A, but after feeling no better about a week later she pushed for more answers.

“She became severely unwell on June 22 and noticed bruises spreading and she was coughing up blood,” Ludy said.

Brianna was bleeding internally, her lungs were filling with blood and her blood was unable to clot which put her in an immediate need of blood transfusions.

On June 26, Brianna was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia.

On June 27 she was flown to the Wesley Hospital where she has been ever since.

Since being in hospital, Brianna has undergone an intensive chemo treatment.

Mum of three Brianna Jacobsen has been in the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane since the end of June after being diagnosed with Leukaemia. Photo: Contributed.

“She’s pretty much been having chemo everyday so far,” Ludy said.

“So far she’s responding good (to the treatment), but it’s too early to tell what will be beyond it.

“Next week she will have a bone marrow scans to see how it has spread before the transplant stage.”

While she’s responding well at the moment, the treatment road has been far from easy for Brianna.

She’s already had a major infection and “major bleeding difficulties”.

Because of the cancer making her immunocompromised the only visitor Brianna has been able to have is her mum.

The community has started rallying around Brianna to raise funds to help with travel costs and bills while she’s in hospital, and also while she is unable to work for at least the next six months.

Brianna has been undergoing intensive chemotherapy in Brisbane.

A GoFundMe page has been created and a raffle with a long list of prizes has also been organised.

“She was quite reluctant to start the GoFundMe so started organising the raffle because she wanted to be able to give back to the community for helping her,” Ludy said.

“When she got sick she started reaching out to local businesses for donations for the raffle and they have been so supportive.

“There’s been a massive backlog with the Leukaemia Foundation for accommodation and it’s been costing about $700 for her mum to stay, without food and other costs.”

Ludy said Brianna’s message for the community was to always listen to your body and to keep getting checked out if something isn’t right.

If you want to buy a raffle ticket or make a donation to the GoFundMe page, click here for more information.