What’s Happening?
Rockhampton local Elli is preparing to honour her late mum, Christine Gray, through Memories of Mum.
The annual Mother’s Day weekend fundraiser will take place this Saturday in Rockhampton.
The event celebrates mums who have passed. It also honours mothers and families affected by blood cancer.
Elli founded Memories of Mum in 2021 after losing Christine to blood cancer.
Christine was a Rockhampton mother of four. In 2018, she was 56 and enjoying life when everything changed.
A minor shoulder injury in her sleep led to testing. Those results confirmed a rare blood cancer, multiple myeloma.
At the time, Elli was 27 and pregnant with her first child. She had been excited to share motherhood with her own mum.
Christine then relocated to Brisbane for urgent treatment. Her care included radiation, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.
The Leukaemia Foundation gave the family free accommodation and support. It meant they could stay close during treatment.
In 2020, Christine developed an infection and died from blood cancer at 58.
She left behind her husband George, daughters Jodie, Holly, Elli and Emily, and her beloved grandchildren.
Why It Matters?
Memories of Mum is a story of love, grief and family.
Elli is now a mum of three. Her two youngest children never had the chance to meet Christine.
That loss continues to drive her mission.
Through the event, Elli honours her mum’s memory while supporting other families facing blood cancer.
The fundraiser also gives the Rockhampton community a place to remember mums who have passed.
It comes at a time when blood cancer is taking a growing toll on Australian women.
Unlike other leading cancers affecting women, blood cancer cannot be prevented, screened for, or linked to reduced personal risk.
It can happen to anyone, at any stage of life.
Local Impact
For Rockhampton families, Memories of Mum offers a meaningful way to mark Mother’s Day weekend.
It brings people together to honour loved ones, celebrate mums and support the Leukaemia Foundation.
The event also shows how local fundraising can support families through treatment away from home.
That support is especially important for regional patients who may need to relocate to capital cities.
For Elli’s family, the event keeps Christine’s memory alive.
For the wider community, it raises awareness of a cancer that many people still know too little about.
By The Numbers
- Three times more Australian women are diagnosed with blood cancer than ovarian and cervical cancer combined.
- Blood cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women, behind only breast cancer.
- Patients face average out-of-pocket costs of $5,000 to $11,000 for blood cancer treatment, compared with $2,500 for other cancers.
Zoom In
Christine’s diagnosis came at a painful time for Elli.
She was pregnant with her first child and preparing to become a mother herself.
Instead, her family was suddenly facing tests, treatment, travel and uncertainty.
Christine’s move to Brisbane meant the family needed a place to stay.
The Leukaemia Foundation’s free accommodation helped keep them together during a frightening time.
That support stayed with Elli.
It later became part of the reason she created Memories of Mum.
To date, Elli and her family have raised $70,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation.
More than $46,000 of that has come through Memories of Mum alone.
Zoom Out
Blood cancer has become a serious issue for Australian women and girls.
It is the most common cancer among Australian girls and women under 30.
The number of women diagnosed each year is increasing. The number losing their lives is also increasing.
The impact also reaches beyond the physical fight for survival.
Women with blood cancer often face longer and more intensive treatment than other cancer patients.
Many need lengthy hospital stays and relocation to capital cities for specialist treatment.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can also cause irreversible infertility.
Women with blood cancer are more likely to be out of work than those with other leading cancers.
Blood cancer patients also report higher psychological distress and poorer quality of life than breast cancer or melanoma patients.
About 70% of patients experience emotional challenges after diagnosis.
The wider family impact is also significant.
Women make up 72% of Australia’s primary carers. A major diagnosis can limit their ability to care for others.
That can affect children, partners, older relatives and communities.
Despite blood cancer cases in women increasing by 70% over the past 20 years, research funding remains limited.
Only 12% of blood cancer research funding in Australia during that time went to prevention and early detection.
That sits below cervical cancer at 90%, melanoma at 55%, lung cancer at 37%, bowel cancer at 27% and breast cancer at 22%.
What To Look For Next?
This Saturday’s Memories of Mum event will bring families together in Rockhampton for Mother’s Day weekend.
The day will honour Christine Gray and other mums who have passed.
It will also raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation’s work with families facing blood cancer.
For Elli, the event continues her mother’s memory through action.
For Rockhampton, it is a chance to support a local family’s mission and a national cause.
