Yeppoon mum Libbie Rutherford diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia

A Queensland woman who did a blood test on a whim when her husband needed one was told she faced impending death without treatment after a shattering diagnosis.

Libbie and Doug Rutherford with their family. INSET: Libbie Rutherford in hospital. Picture: Contributed

A Yeppoon mum was told she would have about two to six weeks to live without immediate treatment after she was diagnosed out of the blue with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Libbie Rutherford, 29, was with her husband Doug and about to travel back to Rockhampton from Mackay when she received the shocking diagnosis in July and was asked to rush into hospital.

Libbie has been undergoing treatment at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital ever since.

Miranda Broadbent, who is a friend and work colleague of Doug’s at Capricornia School of Distance Education, said the leukaemia was picked up from a routine blood test.

“Doug went to the doctor for something for himself and while they were there Libbie said, ‘I haven’t had a blood test in a while, I might just get a blood test done while I am here’,” Ms Broadbent said.

“She was asymptomatic at the time. The family had no idea.

“She seemed so well and yet when they ran her numbers day by day you could just see things were changing so rapidly.

“I think it was just an incredible shock for them as a family.”

Libbie and Doug Rutherford with their family. Picture: Contributed

Ms Broadbent said Libbie had been through three rounds of chemotherapy and had been selected for a clinical trial medication from Europe.

“She has been involved in that clinical trial as part of her treatment,” she said.

“Normally her treatment would have been a little bit different but because of the clinical trial she has had to have extra rounds of chemotherapy.

“After she had her first round of chemo, it did its job and she looked like she was in remission.

“She is currently going through total body irradiation.”

On Friday Libbie had a bone-marrow transplant and her oldest brother Tim was the donor.

Ms Broadbent said Libbie and Doug hoped they would be able to return home by April next year.

Doug Rutherford and Miranda Broadbent doing the World’s Greatest Shave. Picture: Contributed

A GoFundMe campaign created by Ms Broadbent had raised $13,672 for the Rutherford family.

With Doug, the family’s sole income earner, by Libbie’s side in Brisbane, Ms Broadbent said she created the fundraising campaign to help offset costs and provide some financial support for the family.

“The family are just so grateful and would never have wanted to ask for help and that’s the reason I created the GoFundMe,” she said.

“People have been really generous so far and we would love to see that continue because they still have a long way to go.

“Every donation counts.”

Miranda Broadbent and Doug Rutherford with Libbie after doing the World’s Greatest Shave. Picture: Contributed

She said one of Libbie’s closest friends Tayla Hudson had raised $5212 for the GoFundMe campaign after holding a fundraiser at the Capricorn Tavern on November 19.

Ms Hudson was also part of the World’s Greatest Shave team Shaving and Going Pink for Libbie, which also consisted of Doug, Ms Broadbent, fellow Capricornia School of Distance Education colleague Aoi Onozuka and others.

The team raised $5605 for the Leukaemia Foundation.

Ms Hudson chose to colour her hair pink, Libbie’s favourite colour, and Doug and Ms Broadbent shaved their hair on November 14 at ‘Mini-school’ in front of the students.

Libbie Rutherford being treated in hospital. Picture: Contributed

“I had actually spoken to Doug earlier in the year and we had decided we were going to do the World’s Greatest Shave because Doug had very long hair and a beard,” Ms Broadbent said.

“Two weeks later Libbie got her diagnosis.

“The timing was pretty devastating but we still wanted to go through with it.

“They were able to come home for a few days to visit their two children (William and Margaret) who are staying with extended family and we did our shave.”

Libbie Rutherford with her brother Tim. Picture: Contributed

Ms Broadbent encouraged the community to continue to help support the Rutherford family by donating to the GoFundMe campaign.

“You never know what’s around the corner and my message to people has always been you give what you can when you can so that hopefully if you are in need at some point that someone will help you,” she said.

“Every little bit that people are able to donate will build up to being a lot and it means a lot for the family.

“We just want to show that as a community we can get behind our local people and help out when someone is need.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the family as they go through this and hopefully it will be a good outcome at the end.”

To make a donation to the GoFundMe campaign, click here for more information.