Tragic end for young mum after common pain led to devastating diagnosis
What she thought was back pain from her period ended up turning into the 'worst pain' of her life.
A young Aussie mum is being remembered for her courage, sharing her emotional journey with the world after a seemingly routine trip to the doctor turned her life upside down.
Sydney mother-of-two, Melinda Kolodynski, has now succumbed to what her family described as a "hideous disease". Thinking she was suffering from lower back pain related to her period, in July of last year she discovered the pain was actually a very rare form of blood cancer – a fate more common in those over 70.
"I was begging my husband to kill me as we waited for the ambulance, it was that bad," she previously told 7News. "Being in my pelvis as a primary cancer meant mine was actually a one-in-10-million case."
According to a GoFundMe made by Melinda's mum Tracey, it was so rare it could only be “diagnosed properly” until it had spread, at which point it was “classed as palliative”.
After almost a year of battling, the 34-year-old has now tragically passed away.
"It is with a broken heart and immense sadness that I advise that my beautiful girl lost her battle and is now resting in peace with her past friends and family," Tracey wrote on Thursday.
"We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your donations and words of support. Rest in eternal love my gorgeous and courageous girl — Mumma loves you forever and always."
She leaves behind six-year-old Maximus and three-year-old Corey and her husband David.
Tracey described her daughter's "tenacity and head strong personality" as something that "kept her going".
"Anyone who knows Melinda knows that she is a fighter who never backs down and who is a generous and caring support to anyone who needs it," she said in the GoFundMe.
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After having to stop chemotherapy because it wasn't working and then getting disappointing scan results in March of this year, Melinda shared in her last Instagram post how she was preparing for "the next chapter of this hideous disease".
"Cancer has metastasised to my liver and is quite progressed, my oncologist talks of prognosis’ that I’m quite frankly just not willing to accept," she wrote. "So once again we spend a couple of days with our heads in the pillow, tears streaming down our faces but it’s time to get up dust off and soldier on because there is a fight to be had and I’m not done here."
The GoFundMe, which raised almost $112,000 of the $120,000 goal, was set up to help support Melinda in spending the time she had left with her family.
"This has turned her and her little family's life upside down," her mum wrote when setting up the fundraiser. "We are now just keeping her as comfortable and pain free as possible so she can spend and enjoy precious time with her family - please keep them in your hearts and prayers."
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