Community rallies to support Malvern mum Emily Sheldon after shock leukaemia diagnosis

A Malvern woman – described as ‘the nicest person on earth’ – has been rocked by a shock cancer diagnosis just six months after giving birth.

Malvern mum Emily Sheldon, 35, was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia after going to the doctor for chest pain. Picture: Supplied.

A Malvern mother of two received a heartbreaking diagnosis just six months after having her second child, after going to the doctor for chest pain.

Emily Sheldon, 35, initially thought she was experiencing the usual highs and lows of post-child birth reality.

After six months of feeling run down, she decided to go to the doctor as severe chest pain had left her unable to sleep and even breath comfortably.

After a second round of blood tests, her GP rang her with the terrifying results.

She had been diagnosed with acute myeloidmonocytic leukaemia (AMML), a rare type of leukaemia which increases the production of immature white blood cells through the body and bone marrow.

Emily has since been hospitalised with a constant chemo drip, and will remain on rotation of four weeks in hospital, one week at home for at least six months.

After her shock diagnosis, the community rallied behind her, husband Stephen and their two children – three-year-old Freddie and six-month-old Florence.

Leading the charge is Emily’s childhood best friend Kathryn Brandt.

Emily has been on a constant chemo drip for a week and recently made the brave decision to shave her head. Picture: Supplied.

Friends since their first year of high school, Ms Brandt said Emily was “the nicest person on earth”.

“She really is an incredibly generous and giving person,” Ms Brandt said.

“It’s really a testament to the community support we have seen in the last week.”

Ms Brandt said the diagnosis came “completely out of the blue”.

“I don’t know how she’s able to muster the strength, she is absolutely phenomenal,” Ms Brandt said.

“There really is no lesson, it’s just s — t. I just want to do anything I can to help and to ease their burden.”

Ms Brandt started an online fundraiser for Emily and her family and raised $34,655 in just three days.

“My ultimate goal would be to get to $100,000, just so it would sort them for the next year or two and we can just focus on getting Em better,” she said.

If you’d like to donate to help support Emily and her family through her treatment journey, you can find the fundraiser here.