By Callum Ludwig
Anna Ulehla was a beloved and respected Warburton resident and business owner of Back to Earth Medicine.
She passed in the early hours of the morning on Thursday 2 June after a difficult battle with a very rare and aggressive sarcoma cancer, having suffered for five months.
Anna’s younger sister Julinka Ulehla said Anna was the most vibrant, healthy person anyone has ever known.
“She was an avid gardener and passionate food grower and herbalist, interested in everything to do with plants, mushrooms, natural remedies and health. I think that’s why this journey was such a shock to her and the community,” she said.
“She always had time for everyone, even though she was the busiest person in the world. She would never say no to anyone and any local community member that needed something from her, or who was going through a really difficult time, she was always there to support them. I think that’s why the community has been so incredibly supportive because she’s had that positive impact on them.”
Anna leaves behind her two children, 10-year-old Angus and seven-year-old Nadia, who have moved in with their father Dan. Dan was Anna’s ex-partner and they remained good friends, and he and his partner Claire have now taken in Angus and Nadia, with a baby of their own on the way.
Julinka said Anna was a very authentic person who pursued all her passions in her life.
“We were just so grateful that my sister lived her life to her fullest and had no regrets. In her 32 years, she achieved so much,travelled the world, was the most incredible mother and started her business, she achieved more than most 90-year-olds have,” she said.
“It made her death a little less tragic because it would have been a disaster if she had never gotten to do any of the things that she wanted to do. She was a very straight-up person who had no fear, pursued everything and was never afraid of anything.”
Anna underwent surgery on Tuesday 5 April to remove her tumour, with the hopes a diagnosis could also be reached. Two biopsies previously had only been able to indicate that Anna may have been suffering from an Aneurysmal Bone Cyst, Lymphoma or Ewings Sarcoma. Not all of Anna’s tumour could be removed, as they were unable to remove parts attached to her lungs and spine, as well as fragments of shattered rib bone and on Thursday 14 April, it was realised that Anna was suffering from an ever more aggressive variant of sarcoma, a tumour that occurs in the bones and soft tissues.
Julinka said Anna was given a less than 10 per cent chance of survival within three years.
“It was a death sentence, we went from being really hopeful and thinking we could heal her and particularly being into the natural medicines to a massive shock to hear that nothing will work. There was so little time to even be processing death just because of the levels of pain she was in and it really is an extra horrible type of cancer,” she said.
“It’s totally devastating for her children, and for my parents to lose their child, we are all still processing it and will be for a very long time. The Warburton community were also totally shocked by her passing.”
Anna’s biological material was sent to a specialist sarcoma testing facility in Boston to try and find out more through thorough testing by some of the world’s leading sarcoma diagnosis specialists.
Julinka said the children are so well supported.
“Tragedies happen and they’ve got so many aunties and uncles, even those not blood-related but in the community that they’re very close with, and so many good friends and we just have to love them and support them,” she said.
“Their mother; love will last them a lifetime, they’ll never, never wonder if she loved them and will definitely remember her forever.”
On Thursday 21 April, Anna began chemotherapy to try and prolong her time, but by Thursday 12 May, Anna’s tumour mass was rapidly growing and had an infection, leaving her no longer fit to continue chemotherapy, bleeding significantly from her surgery site and immobile. Friends and family were told on Wednesday 11 May that cancer would take Anna’s life.
As Anna was no longer receiving treatment, she was moved to the palliative care ward and had visits from her partner Matt, her dog Nelly, and of course her primary carers, her sister Julinka and two of her best friends Beela and Meg who left behind their own children, partners and jobs to ensure Anna was attended to 24 hours a day, with Meg even flying down from Arnhem Land.
Julinka said Anna had been heavily supported by the local community ever since January.
“The community had been cooking and dropping off meals, coming in and cleaning the house, taking the kids for playdates, running around buying all the things, there’s so much care involved with someone who is in a lot of pain and is at home,” she said.
“There’s just no way we could have done it without the amount of practical help we got, absolutely selfless from usually like young moms struggling with three kids, to go above and beyond to help and also be really respectful.”
A GoFundMe page was set up in late March to help cover the cost of Anna’s treatment and medical care, which was also used to cover Anna’s end-of-life expenses, with the remainder going to a trust for her children to inherit in their adult life, towards school fees, an organic veggie box and grief counselling for the children.
Julinka said the financial support has been incredible.
“We’re just looking for really tangible, measurable things that my sister wanted for her children, which was always fresh organic vegetables and fruit and for them to be able to go to school. We are hoping to keep the GoFundMe campaign going to reach the goal of $150,000, we only have enough money left over for one year, and we’d like to get that to three,” she said.
“I can’t imagine what would we have done without the money, the fact it hasn’t been an issue has just been such a relief, to be able to focus on her and not trying to get finances somehow, to book flights and be able to care for her, it’s been incredible and people have been so generous.”
Dan is currently still unable to take time off work to be with the children when their grief is too much to handle, and the hopes are funds in the future will make that more financially achievable for him.
The breakdown of funds raised so far has been $9,500 for medicines, medical bills and equipment, $6,000 to Dan for immediate financial relief, $3,200 for food, drink and everyday petty cash needs, $4,300 to Anna’s carers to cover the absolute bare essential expenses of Beela, Julinka and Meg, $3,250 to accomodation expenses, $1,400 to flight expenses for carers and $2,350 to regular bills and debts, leaving $25,000 for the children’s ongoing support and including the $45,000 for Anna’s care and end-of-life expenses.
Anyone who wishes to contribute towards the GoFundMe can do so here at www.gofund.me/c73e924c
