Despite Scott Rowe witnessing the charity he manages help hundreds of people facing life-changing circumstances –he was never prepared when overnight his world was turned upside down.

When his fiancée Kristy, 49, presented at Hervey Bay Hospital after a couple of days of unusual nose bleeds, they were never prepared for the shock diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia.

They were immediately thrust into a new world of cancer treatments, living away from home, changed work arrangements and putting a pause on life as they knew it.

“To present to the emergency department with nose bleeds, to being diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancer within the space of five hours was a total shock to the system,” the general manager of Rally for a Cause charity said.

“We were told at 1.30am in the morning after being called back to the hospital that Kristy needed to be airlifted to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for immediate treatment.

“We only had time to pack a small bag of clothes as we struggled to comprehend what had happened and what was ahead of us.

“I deal daily with other families in the same position through my work, but it never properly prepares you for your own diagnosis and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.”

Scott said he wanted to share their story simply because of the love and support he and Kristy had received.

“I know the magic that Rally for a Cause creates through our beautiful and compassionate communities, but I never fully comprehended until we were placed in a similar circumstance.

“From our directors and staff, the Rally for a Cause community, associates and friends, we have been overwhelmed with love and support from a community that truly cares.

“From the most thoughtful packages, cooked meals, friends and neighbours mowing the lawns and even our Dunga Derby leadership team donating blood, I now fully understand what a caring and compassionate community Kristy and I are part of.”

Now basing himself between the Fraser and Sunshine Coasts so he can be by his partner’s side each day at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Scott said the leukemia fight would be a lot harder without the community’s support.

“Each day we are humbled by the love and support offered to us, by the expertise of the doctors and medical teams at the hospital. It makes the battle against cancer and the journey easier to navigate.

“Kristy is tough, fit and has an incredibly positive attitude, but it is always pleasing to know we are not in the fight on our own.”

For more information about Rally for a Cause, or to donate, please visit the website www.rallyforacause.org.au.