Tough move to Townsville for treatment after leukaemia diagnosis

A Mackay-region apprentice and his devoted partner have to face the worry of a lifetime at only 20, trading camping trips for hospital stays.

Lili and Jedd were supposed to go visit family in Gladstone when dramatic news completely turned their life upside down. Picture: Contributed

Lili and Jedd were supposed to go visit family in Gladstone when dramatic news completely turned their life upside down.

Now they are both worlds away from the worries of two 20 year olds in love, with hospital treatment after hospital treatment to get through.

Jedd Leo, 20, had been feeling very sore in his ribs for a month, which kept him awake at night and although it was not like him to go to the doctor when something felt amiss, this time he went for a check.

He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in September and had to start treatment straightaway.

Jedd was working in Mackay as an apprentice plumber and was living there with his mum and his partner Lili.

It was not possible to start chemotherapy at Mackay Base Hospital, but within three days he was on the path to get treatment in Townsville, which meant moving as fast as possible.

Jedd and his partner Lili had to move to Townsville when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Picture: Contributed

Lilijana – Lili – Quagliata-Newman, 20, was studying law at uni and working as a legal assistant but she left her job behind to come and support Jedd.

Now they both have been through a whirlwind of emotions and worries since they arrived a month and a half ago.

“It’s hard to sustain any sort of normality, Jedd said.

“The worst thing is having to be away from family.”

Jedd stayed in hospital as an inpatient for six weeks and only just got out to live at an accommodation close by, but he still has to wear a mask and avoid going too much outside so he doesn’t catch any other diseases that could stop his treatment.

Jedd Leo had to stay six weeks as an inpatient at Townsville Hospital to start his chemotherapy treatment. Picture: Contributed

Lili said Jedd also had to deal with losing his hair and seeing his face change throughout the chemotherapy.

Jedd and his partner Lili had to move to Townsville when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Picture: Contributed

Lili is the point of contact with Jedd’s family and she has taken on the full load of keeping everyone informed and helping him with his treatment.

“He doesn’t really know how to explain to them how everything is going,” she said.

“I’m looking after him in the sense of having all his medication ready, like it’s just not something you’d think you’d be doing at this age.

“Usually we would be going camping and going places,”

Jedd and his partner Lili had to move to Townsville when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Picture: Contributed

Although they were able to find housing via the Leukaemia Foundation’s village, they are struggling to pay the bills as they both had to stop work.

“In Mackay we were living at home still together with his mum so we were just chipping in, but now we kind of have to look after ourselves,” Lili said.

“Medication is expensive.

“The Leukaemia Foundation has helped us a lot, they’ve given us grocery vouchers on top of getting to stay at the unit,”

Jedd said the “best possible outcome” would be to stay six months for treatment, but that it could go on for a year or more.

He said the best approach was to take it “one day at a time”.

“It feels like it’s making me a stronger person and once I get through this, I’ll be able to put my mind to do other stuff and it’ll be a lot easier,”

According to the Leukaemia Foundation, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a type of cancer that needs constant monitoring after the patient’s remission. And Lili is very much aware of that.

“It’s really hard at 20 years old, to have this thought at the back of your head that it can always come back,” she said.

You can find Jedd and Lili’s GoFundMe page here.

Originally published as Tough move to Townsville for treatment after leukaemia diagnosis