Mar's Story

If you know Marlies or “Mar”, you already know she’s the funny friend! The one who can make you laugh until you cry, who somehow finds humour even in the hardest moments. She’s hilariously inappropriate, endlessly kind, and the first person to rescue a bug or stop to admire a tree (or hot waiter). She loves animals, nature, and people with her whole heart. When they say cancer does not discriminate, she is living proof of this, as are the many young people who are being diagnosed at an increasing rate.

In 2024, in her early 30’s and the prime of her life, Mar moved to Brisbane to immerse herself in nature and start part-time study in Marine Biology. Following concerning symptoms, Mar went in for a colonoscopy only to awaken and find out that they had discovered a large tumour, which then led to her being diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer.

Being away from her home in Melbourne, she faced stage 3 bowel cancer with courage, humour, and her signature Mar-style stubbornness. Not one to ask for help, she continued to live in Brisbane away from family and friends to go through surgery and chemo.

Going through the first 6 months of chemo took a significant toll on Mar's mental and physical health. She had to continue to work and study during this time, and although immensely supportive, she works for a small Tech start up, which doesn't have work cover or insurance like she may have if working for a bigger corporate organisation.

After six taxing months of chemo, she was ready to reclaim her life. She started planning a six-month European adventure to see her family and planned to do volunteer research in the Costa Rican Jungle. Finally taking a breath after everything she’d been through.

Mar’s grand plans to travel were due to take off in December 2025, however, she had been closely monitoring with specialists a pesky nodule on her lungs that was determining when she was able to pursue this adventure.

In early December 2025, scans revealed that the cancer had returned and spread to additional lymph nodes and the lung nodule. This has now classified her cancer as stage 4. This, combined with her having a specific 'KRS mutation', can be more difficult to treat. It’s devastating news, but if there’s anyone who can face this next chapter with strength, it’s Mar.

She’ll begin a new round of chemotherapy in early 2026, and her doctors are building a treatment plan tailored to her specific cancer type, a plan full of hope and possibility. Everyone in the oncology team at Peter Mac has been positive on Mar's outlook in these early stages.

Mar has been doing everything possible to ensure the effectiveness of her treatment and exhausting all avenues. She’s been undergoing private tests, which aren't covered by the Government rebates, to take this cancer head-on and have as many options as possible! For example, she has been undertaking testing to specify which chemotherapy/immunotherapy drugs would work best on her specific type of tumour - an important but expensive test to have completed.

It is hard to put a figure on this because a lot of people don't understand how expensive having cancer can be. In the last 12 months alone, Mar has spent upwards of $50,000 on treatment costs whilst still pushing herself to work full-time and study. These costs will continue to compound and grow as new challenges arise with the stage 4 diagnosis.

During her first chemo treatment, Mar was lucky enough to meet a special friend Lara Jane, who was also going through receiving a cancer diagnosis and treatment as a young person. She had planned to travel to Germany to receive a modern cancer vaccine at a reputable cancer research clinic. Unfortunately, she was too unwell and passed away earlier in 2025 before she could receive this potentially life-changing treatment. Alongside the current financial costs of treatment, Mar is hoping to raise enough to pursue this treatment herself.

This Fundraise will help cover the costs of getting her to Germany to receive this advanced cancer treatment, as well as contribute to her current treatment, living expenses, and essentials while she takes time away from her busy job in tech recruitment to rest, recover, and restore her energy and focus on healing.

The treatment costs for Dendritic Cell Therapy alone in Germany can range from $60,000 to $100,000, depending on the number of treatment rounds, lab work, and any ongoing medical care required. Not included are travel, and all the other ongoing medical and living costs.

We want to give Mar the chance to focus entirely on healing, without the added stress of full-time work or everyday bills.

Every little bit counts. Whether it’s a donation, a share, or a message of support. It all adds up to breathing space and peace of mind for someone who has given so much joy to everyone around her.

Let’s give Mar the time and space to heal, so she can get back to making the world (and us) laugh again.

With love,

Her friends and family