A 28-year-old woman has died less than two months after being told she had blood cancer, which she initially wrote off as the flu.
Ashlee Colmer, from Nuriootpa, northwest of Adelaide, was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia on November 26 after being ill for six weeks with what she thought was a nasty flu.
Unable to shake the disease, Ms Colmer, a nail technician with her own business Barossa Lash and Nails Beauty Bar, went to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
“She was never fired,” cousin Megan Atze told the newspaper Adelaide Advertiser.
“(She had) a lot of tests, blood transfusions, chemotherapy.”
Ashlee Colmer, 28-year-old nail technician from South Australia, lost her battle with blood cancer just two months after learning of her diagnosis
The devastated family, including husband Brayden, who she married on October 30, 2021, are still coming to terms with how quickly Mrs Colmer deteriorated.
“She was so brave, she brought out optimism and hope and talked about remission and future plans,” Ms Atze said.
“I (saw) her a week earlier, (she was) still eating, drinking, talking, laughing, joking and most importantly still shopping online.”
Brayden was constantly by Mrs Colmer’s side in hospital, the family said.
Mrs. Atze organized one GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral and other expenses.
“My beautiful niece Ashlee just passed away Wednesday night; She was recently diagnosed with leukemia,” the page reads.
‘She was only 28.
“She leaves behind her husband Brayden and many devastated family and friends.
‘She was such a bright, cheerful and cheerful person, with a wonderful giggle.
The devastated family, including husband Brayden, who she married on October 30, 2021, are still coming to terms with how quickly Mrs Colmer deteriorated
“We are asking for some help with the funeral/memorial services, this was such an unexpected event that no one expected so suddenly.”
As of Thursday evening, the page had raised more than $4,000 of its $15,000 goal.
Ms Atze said she would remember her cousin as a keen baker, who made special cakes that she sometimes sold.
The grieving cousin also remembered Mrs Colemer as someone who loved to giggle, gossip and joke, and continued to do so even as she spent her final months in a hospital bed.