When NSW mother-of-two Suraya Jenkins experienced lingering pain after childbirth, she attributed it to having undergone a caesarean section.
Doctors say it takes six to 10 weeks to recover from the procedure, so it made sense.
But when Jenkins, 36, went to her doctor in Armidale complaining of a sore back and breathlessness, it was discovered her left lung was full of fluid.
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Further testing then uncovered a tumour.
It was stage-four cancer.
“Not only was it in her lungs but it was on also on her brain and in her bones,” Jenkins’ cousin Jemah Schmidt told 7NEWS.com.au.
What should have been a “newborn bubble” period with five-week-old son, Wren, and partner Shannon Waddy quickly became filled with hospital appointments.
“It definitely came as a shock,” Schmidt said.
“Suraya is a healthy, vibrant person in her everyday life.
“None of us could have anticipated it.”
Jenkins started a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment on Monday, and loved ones are clutching tight to their optimism.
“She’s in good spirits,” Schmidt said.
“Suraya’s got a tenacity to endure and stay positive through anything, and I think that’s going to be her greatest asset.”
Jenkins, now a childhood educator who spent more than a decade working as a travel agent, is spontaneous and loves adventure, her cousin said.
“She’s a crafter and creative super mum … always with a zest for life and saying, ‘yes’,” Schmidt said.
Treatment means Jenkins has had to stop breastfeeding little Wren.
A lactation support service helped her find a solution in freeze-dried donor breast milk from Brisbane-based Mothers Milk Bank Charity.
But it comes at a cost — $850 a week for a shipment to regional Armidale.
Two fundraisers have been launched to support the family as they navigate mounting medical expenses and to purchase an ongoing supply of breastmilk for Wren.
“Shannon and I are so humbled and moved by the incredible contributions and support we have received from the community and further afield,” Jenkins said.
“We will be forever grateful to those who have helped and supported us during this hardest of times.”