Couple Fighting Leukemia Fall Victim To Heartless Theft

In a sad and unfair second blow, a young Mackay couple who are currently going through a cancer battle, have had their camping gear stolen from underneath their house just days before they were due to make a bucket-list camping trip.

Lilijana and Jedd, had been bravely fighting Jedd’s leukemia diagnosis together when the camping gear was swiped from their North Mackay home.

21-year-old Jedd was diagnosed with leukaemia in July 2023 and in an attempt to experience normality, the couple were set to celebrate Jedd’s birthday weekend away camping before he undergoes bone marrow treatment in Brisbane.

The camping gear was gifted to Jedd as a present for his 21st birthday and Lilijana says, “There’s only so many knock-backs you can take, and we really did feel quite defeated after this one.”

Turning to social media, Lilijana’s mother Nicole made a Facebook post in an attempt to find out any information about the stolen goods. She says the family hadn’t even had time to contact police as the couple had medical appointments throughout the morning of the incident.

Lilijana’s mother Nicole posted, “Everything was brand new and still in packaging so if anybody sees or hears of anything that could be related to these items being taken, please contact police.”

Many locals voiced their disgust upon hearing the news and were furious at the perpetrators.

Although there has been no information provided regarding the whereabouts of the stolen goods, many community members generously offered donations.

Some even offered to lend their camping goods to the couple for the weekend.

Other locals kindly offered to donate to a local fishing and camping store to renew their stolen items.

“Thank you to Wayne at BCF Mackay who has offered to do what he can to help Lilly and Jedd replace a couple of items so we can try and get them camping again,” Nicole commented.

Jedd's colleagues at his workplace have also initiated a raffle to ease the financial strain associated with his leukemia treatment.

Recognising the significant load of medical expenses and emotional stress, they aim to raise $30,000 to cover Jedd's treatment, accommodation, and other fundamental costs during this challenging period.

Lachlan Cooke, CEO of Tropical Coast Plumbing, said it was important to support Jedd during these circumstances, highlighting the difficulty of managing expenses amidst his health crisis.

“It was immediate that we had to do something, he’s a second-year apprentice and it’s hard enough to make ends meet as an apprentice, let alone when you’ve been diagnosed with leukemia,” Mr Cooke says.

Jedd is currently on his fourth round of chemotherapy and is now at Townsville hospital undergoing treatment.

Despite the heartless theft and the additional challenges, the incident has brought, the support and generosity of the local community have served as a beacon of hope for Lilijana and Jedd.

With the outpouring of love and assistance from friends, family, and even strangers, they are reminded that they are not alone in their fight. As they continue to endure the rigors of Jedd's treatment, their determination to persevere remains unwavering. Together, they stand as a testament to the strength of their spirit and the power of unity in overcoming life's greatest trials.

“He’s a fighter, he’s so strong and he knows once he gets through this, he’ll look back at this time in his life and be so proud of himself,” Lilijana says.

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Photo Credit: Images sourced from Facebook

Caption 1 & 2: Local couple Lilijana and Jedd battling against leukemia

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