It’s been three years since Emma Betts found out she was the dying.
The 25-year-old was soon-to-be married when, at 22, she found a spot on her back that would change her life and shorten it significantly.
Emma has melanoma, the terminal kind. The kind that, tragically, will likely kill her before she reaches her 27th birthday.
Since diagnosis, she’s campaigned tirelessly to teach people about the risks of skin cancer and raised more than $100,000 for melanoma research.
Emma Betts. Source: Supplied
She also writes a beautiful blog, Dear Melanoma, that has inspired thousands of readers across the country. (She's written some great stuff for Mamamia too.)
Unfortunately, this remarkable young woman has taken a turn recently and her latest blood test results haven't been great, so two of her close friends decided to do some fundraising of their own.
"Emma is currently in a bit of a bad place right now," Rebecca Sparrow explains on the GoFundMe page set up by friend Emily Jade O'Keeff.
"Em is now truly forced to think about the fact she may not have long to go. She's now having to save up for things like palliative care.
"And you know what she really wants to do? She wants to renovate her damn kitchen."
Aside from the fact Emma's kitchen is clearly in terrible shape (paraphrasing here), her friends also want her to have a project "so she doesn't have to keep dwelling on the fact she's dying".
And it worked. In less than 24-hours, they've managed to hit their goal of $10,000 and the tally is still climbing.
Emma, who was thrilled, responded gratefully on her Facebook page, saying any extra cash will go to a holiday for herself and her husband Serge.
If you'd like to donate money for Em, her holiday a photo session, pavlova ingredients or even for her future medical and palliative care expenses... you can do so here.
