Port Adelaide star Jeremy Finlayson’s fiancee Kellie Gardner has revealed that despite her diagnosis of stage four lung cancer, the pair still have some plans for the future including having a second child.
The AFL world was left in shock after it was revealed Gardner was diagnosed with the deadly disease just months after finishing her treatment for bowel cancer, which had emerged shortly after the birth of their first child Sophia in August 2021.
The pair had celebrated at the end of the footy season after a year of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries had seen doctors believing they had removed the cancer and that it would not return.
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But while relaxing over Christmas, Kellie felt a tightening in her chest.
After ruling out Covid, the couple’s nightmare returned after a mass “a bit bigger than a tennis ball” was discovered in her chest cavity, having metastasised from her colon.
While doctors said the cancer is terminal, the couple aren’t about to give up and hoping to inspire others given such a devastating diagnosis.
Gardner admits that the couple don’t talk about their future much any more and have postponed their October wedding.
But Gardner also told Mark Soderstrom’s The Soda Room podcast they would like to have another child.
“I would do it this year if I could, but obviously I can’t bring up a newborn right now, but, yeah, (having another baby is the goal),” Gardner said.
“We’ve been going through fertility stuff. We do talk about the future a bit like trying to make Soph a sister or brother,” Finlayson said.
IVF would not be an option until 12 to 18 months after her next chemotherapy round but surrogacy and egg donations are other options the pair are open to.
However, they have been going through fertility appointments in case it does become a possibility.
Gardner revealed that no timeline had been put on her terminal diagnosis and that it’s “all about controlling, managing that to a point that they can then do radiotherapy, possible resect”.
But Gardner also has called for all Australians to get checked out if they feel something unusual in their digestive system.
The Australian government sends out bowel cancer testing kits to all Australias over 50 but Gardner was just 25 when she was diagnosed.
“If I had got it checked,” Kellie says. “If I had got all of my tummy problems checked and not just been thinking I had a lactose intolerance like every other Joe, Dick and Harry these days. If I had got it checked.
“You hear cancer and you attach it to a 60-year-old. You don’t attach it to a 25-year-old who is quite healthy, who runs marathons and who just had a baby.
“I was a fit, young mum. You just don’t attach it to that.
“Like I was a fit young mum. You just don’t attach it to that. I was an angry woman.”
And just because she’s taking it in her stride as much as she can, Gardner revealed it doesn’t mean she’s not scared.
“Now it’s more so I’m scared to walk into treatment because I know what it’s going to be like, well, to an extent,” Gardner said.
“I know, that chair is going to it’s gonna be hard to sit in the chair.
“But in terms of being scared for the future, and yeah, yes, yes. But no, because I’d put so much trust in my medical team. I know there’s so many alternative things out there. And if I’m not okay, I know that he still will be with Soph.”
Finlayson added that time is of the essence to ensure the illness is picked up early to give people the best chance of survival.
“So, her first one (cancer) was three to four years and then this one came back in six months,” he said.
“That just shows how quickly it can come back – that’s why you’ve got to get the first one real quick.”
He also revealed he was in awe of his partner, saying he would not have been able to take it like she has.
“She’s just a super human I guess,” Finlayson said. “Just for someone who go through what she’s done. And then hit it head on …
“I know what I’d be doing, I’d be curled up in bed and sorry for myself, but she wants to get out there and help people and like she’s fighting for a life really.
“I’m still in denial. Me listening to her, it’s like she works for the cancer council or something. but I’ve always been in denial since she got diagnosed the first 18 months ago. I’ve been in denial and still am because we’re so young. I actually don’t know how she can do it, really.”
Listen to full interview on The Soda Room here.
