Dani's brave fight: can you help her? | Northern Rivers Community | Stories about People from Northern Rivers

15th July 2009

SUPPORT FOR DANI: A fundraising night has been organised to support local girl Danielle Slade, who is in Brisbane receiving treatment for leukemia.

JAMIE-Lee Slade didn't want to believe it when her sister, Danielle, was given just six weeks to live in April this year.

Dani, 21, had been diagnosed with a very aggressive Acute Myeloid Leukemia which grew to more than 80 per cent of her blood cells in just six weeks.

The Ballina hairdresser and former Alstonville High School student had to go to Brisbane for treatment, and currently is having her third and final round of chemotherapy treatment.

Dani's outlook will be reassessed when that is complete.

Jamie-Lee is hopeful that Dani's condition will improve.

She said the first chemo treatment knocked the leukemia to less than 5 per cent of Dani's blood cells, and the second round of treatment reduced that to less than 2 per cent.

But Dani's future is still uncertain, with a 50 per cent chance of the leukemia relapsing within two years.

Her story was made that more tragic as she was pregnant when she was first diagnosed, and that pregnancy had to be terminated before the chemotherapy began. This followed advice that, because of complications after a pap smear, she wouldn't be able to fall pregnant.

Jamie-Lee, 19, said the past four months had been very difficult for whole family as they supported Dani, which also meant lots of travel to Brisbane.

Dani is being treated as an outpatient, and stays, with family, at the Clem Jones Sunland Leukemia Foundation Village which was funded by the Leukamia Foundation and Freemasons.

“She's (Dani) got a good attitude and she's had a good attitude right from the start,” Jamie-Lee said.

“And a lot of people have said it's (recovery) all about attitude.

“But it's still on my mind that she's got leukaemia and she's always going to have it.”

Dani's workmate, Emma Field, from Kaos Hair, has organised a fundraising evening to raise money to help Dani's family cover transport costs to Brisbane, and to help with medical expenses.

Because Dani's favourite colours are pink and yellow, the fundraising night will have those as the theme.

It will be held at the Ballina Seagulls Rugby League Club on August 1, starting at 6pm.

There will be a sausage sizzle and nibblies, plenty of raffles, plus an auction of sporting memorabilia and lucky door prizes.

A suprise DJ will provide entertainment.

Entry costs $5.

For more information or to offer help, please phone Jamie-Lee on 0413 270796.

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