Lismore mum of eight Teela Tierney dies after short cancer battle

A Northern Rivers family is reeling after a mum of eight died only a little more than a month after being diagnosed with cancer.

A short but harsh cancer battle has left eight children without their mum and family struggling to cope with the sudden loss.

Teela Tierney was only 35 when she died in hospital on Monday.

Ms Tierney’s sister Sarah Minter said her sister had “pretty much struggled her whole her life”.

“Then she got the diagnosis that she had lung cancer just before Christmas and we were told that with treatment she may have 12 months,” Mrs Minter said.

“Teela only lasted two rounds of chemo.

“In the end her kidneys couldn’t cope with the treatment and she passed very quickly in hospital.”

Ms Tierney enjoyed playing with Snapchat filters with her kids.

She said she was honoured to be by her sister’s side, holding her hand until the end.

“She was a tough cookie right to the end and I miss her terribly,” Mrs Minter said.

Ms Tierney moved from Sydney to Lismore as a schoolgirl and lived her entire adult life in the region.

Teela Tierney with her daughter Lakeisha Chisholm

Family and friends described her as a joyful and cheeky soul who would do anything for anyone.

She was a single mum who adored her children Lakeisha, Riley, Hailey, Kianah, Selina, Azrael, Tobias and Taja, who range in age between 18 and 2.

“All her kids were born in Lismore Base Hospital and she only moved to Ballina a couple of years ago,” Mrs Minter said.

Teela Tierney with Kianah Chisholm, her twins Taja and Tobias Tierney and Selina Chisholm.

She said her whole family rallied around Ms Tierney at Christmas after learning of the terminal diagnosis.

“It was the first time all the family had been together in quite a while,” Mrs Minter said.

“We took some pictures with Teela so there is a picture of the whole family.”

She said he sister had a lot of friends in the Lismore area.

“I know they’re all trying to help and I know they’re concerned about the children,” she said.

“A lot of families in the area have kids that have gone to school with her kids or that she made friends with women at the hospital when she was giving birth.

“There are so many people that will miss her.”

Top Left: nieces Bella, Tanisha, and Mariah Seaborn, son Riley Chisholm, nephew Jacob Tierney, daughters Lakeisha and Hailey Chisholm (Hailey holding Leokai Chisholm), nephew Jesse Tierney, nieces Mikayla and Emily Tierney, sister/carer Kelly Tierney, nephew Levi Turner, centre daughters Kianah and Selina Chisholm, nephew Lauchlan Turner (looking down with fingers up). At front, sister Sarah Minter with nephew Caleb Minter, brother Caine Tierney, Mother Christine Levett holding granddaughter Taja Tierney, Teela Tierney in front centre, son Tobias Tierney standing in front of daughter Azrael Chisholm and Dad John Tierney.

Mrs Minter said she wanted to get behind a fundraiser that had been organised by her sister’s friend Lisa Fowler and help them to come to terms with her sister’s death in their own way.

Ms Fowler met Ms Tierney about 10 years ago and they had remained friends ever since.

She was devastated and said she set up the fundraiser for her friend and her family to help them out because being a single mum, Ms Tierney didn’t have a lot of cash or assets.

“She was very loving and she adored her kids, that’s all she wanted in life, was her kids,” Ms Fowler said.

“She’d do anything for anyone.”

An avid dancer, joker and poet, Ms Tierney made a big impact on many people.

“She was loved by everyone,” Ms Fowler said.

“It’s the kids that I feel for.

“I hope they all stay together somehow, that’s why I’ve set up the GoFundMe for her and her kids.”