Freshwater family given eviction, cancer diagnosis in same week

A Queensland mother’s family was given an eviction notice days before finding out she had cancer, and just five years to live.

Cairns couple Steven and Sharni Green have faced finding a new rental home in an increasingly tight market, while Ms Green received treatment from Stage 2 pancreatic cancer, while trying to maintain their lawnmower business Freshwater Small Engines. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

A Freshwater mother’s family was given an eviction notice days before finding out she had cancer, and just five years to live.

Now the couple and their teenage son have to find a new home, while juggling cancer treatments and running their small family business.

Husband Steven Green said Ms Green had been diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer the week after Christmas last year.

“To have the diagnosis come along and then get told to move out of our house … we’re just gutted to be honest,” Mr Green said.

“We got the termination of lease on Christmas Eve, we’ve been at this house for four, almost five years now. It’s home.”

He said the months since the diagnosis had been difficult, between the running business and regular trips to the hospital, while trying to pack up their home and care for their family.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions,” he said.

Cairns couple Steven and Sharni Green and teenage son Joshua Clements (far left) have been left to find a new rental home in an increasingly tight market, while Ms Green received treatment from Stage 2 pancreatic cancer, while trying to maintain their lawnmower business Freshwater Small Engines. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

The couple have two girls and two boys, three of whom have moved out of home.

Earlier this year, Ms Green underwent Whipple surgery in Townsville, an operation to remove part of the pancreas, part of the small intestine and gallbladder.

Meanwhile, the family business, Freshwater Small Engines, which the couple reopened in 2023 after initially closing due to Covid-19, is being managed by Mr Green’s friend and an apprentice.

Cairns couple Steven and Sharni Green have faced finding a new rental home in an increasingly tight market, while Ms Green received treatment from Stage 2 pancreatic cancer, while trying to maintain their lawnmower business Freshwater Small Engines. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

“It was really stressful to help my partner while my business back here was manned by the apprentice and my best friend, because that’s all I had to keep it afloat,” he said.

Mr Green said the business made just enough to cover the running costs, but not enough to support the family.

“Every dollar we make, we reinvest in our equipment so don’t have massive overhead loans,” he said.

“Because we own a business, people think that we have money, but we don’t, the business scrapes by day by day, but we’re on Centrelink.”

The couple created a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of moving and hiring a removalist.

“We were able to negotiate another six month lease (for the current rental) which started in February, so we have another three to four months before we have to have another place to move into,” he said.

“I don’t like asking for help, I like doing things myself, but the way things are, I have to do this.”

Originally published as Freshwater family given eviction, cancer diagnosis in same week