Brisbane woman Ashleigh Vidaic’s $100k Mexico cancer treatment

A young Brisbane woman battling an aggressive cancer has run out of options since her chemo stopped working. This inspirational fighter plans to try $100k alternative treatment in Mexico and refuses to be told by doctors how long she has left.

A young Brisbane woman battling an aggressive terminal cancer has run out of options since her chemotherapy stopped working.

Ashleigh Vidaic, affectionately known by her loved ones as ‘Ash’, has dreams of getting married and having kids, which has inspired her to try treatment in Mexico. She also refuses to be told by doctors how long she has left.

The 28-year-old Brisbane woman was first diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer when she was 26 in 2019, and beat it in 2020.

But now the cancer is back and her last treatment option is a clinic in Mexico which will cost upwards of $100k.

Ashleigh Vidaic with her partner Jaryd. Photo: GoFundMe.

In July in 2019 she found a lump in her breast, which lead to the devastating diagnosis.

According to her sister, Lisa Schiffermuller, chemotherapy was hard work and the biggest challenge Ash had ever faced at the time.

“But through it all she held her head high,” Ms Schiffermuller said.

“And her positivity carried not only herself but her family through.”

For her triple negative breast cancer in 2019 Ash underwent six months of intense chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy, followed by six months of chemotherapy tablets.

Then in mid-2020, she finally received some good news from her medical team and was given the all clear.

Ashleigh Vidaic has dreams of getting married and having kids, which has inspired her to try treatment in Mexico. She also refuses to be told by doctors how long she has left. Photo: GoFundMe.

Ash was able to go back to enjoying her life with friends, family, and her loving partner Jaryd.

Then last month, after than less than two years free from health problems, Ash’s world came crashing down again.

A CT scan revealed that the cancer had returned and there is a 75mm tumour on her chest wall, cancer on two rib bones, and spots on her lungs and lymph nodes.

Ashleigh Vidaic has dreams of getting married and having kids, which has inspired her to try treatment in Mexico. She also refuses to be told by doctors how long she has left. Photo: GoFundMe.

However, this time surgery and chemotherapy is not an option.

Despite the devastating news and medical advice, Ash has told her doctors she doesn’t want to know how long she has left.

“Ash asked for no talk of timelines or prognosis,” Ms Schiffermuller said.

“The doctors said all they can offer her is radiation.”

But this was not enough for Ash, who didn’t just want to settle for radiation to ease her pain.

“I have too much life to live,” she said.

Ashleigh Vidaic has dreams of getting married and having kids, which has inspired her to try treatment in Mexico. She also refuses to be told by doctors how long she has left. Photo: GoFundMe.

“This isn’t over for me yet. I want to get married and have kids.

“I am only young and have a whole life to live.”

After doing some research Ash has a plan and wants to try what could be her last hope - alternative therapies at a clinic in Mexico.

“The treatment is expensive,” Ms Schiffermuller said.

This is why Ash’s sister Ms Schiffermuller has now started a GoFundMe Page to raise the$100,000 which Ash needs to travel to Mexico to an alternative clinic.

So far it has raised $70k in a week.