Loved ones of Tiana St Baker launch GoFundMe to help her family during her next cancer treatment phase

Griffith resident Anna Melvin set up the fundraising account after learning that her childhood friend, Tiana St Baker, had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia as well as myeloid sarcoma, a rare form of leukaemia which presents as a physical mass in the body.

Miss Melvin said travelling family members, hospital visits, and time off work would take a financial toll on Tiana, as well as her husband Lyle and their two year old son Jesse.

"We spoke to Monica to see if it was okay to start a GoFundMe page to help wherever we could," Miss Melvin said.

"When I told Tiana I was setting the limit at $50,000 she said, 'You're mad, you're never going to get that.' Within the first 24 hours there was $17,000."

Tiana's mother, Monica St Baker also helped start the GoFundMe.

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She said she couldn't believe the generosity of people who hadn't even met Tiana or her family.

"Ethan's workplace did a big barbeque and raised $1800 at the end of the day," Mrs St Baker said.

"These people don't know Tianna or me. It's very humbling."

Funds raised for Tiana currently sit around $28,000, just over half of the family's end goal.

Mrs St Baker said the GoFundMe page would help support the family as Tiana enters her next treatment phase.

Following an initial round of chemo, Tiana's myeloid sarcoma returned in early 2022, prompting doctors to try a last-ditch, experimental treatment in which Tiana's brother, Ethan would need to donate bone marrow to his sister.

Following further high-dose chemotherapy, which is expected to wipe out every cell in her body, Tiana will receive injections of Ethan's stem cells which doctors hope will destroy all leukemia cells in her body.

"We hope she gets to the other side of it and gets to be the mum, wife and partner she wants to be," Mrs St Baker said.

Miss Melvin said donations to the GoFundMe page will also help ease the financial burden for Tiana and her husband, who are currently paying a home mortgage.

"It's only a small part but not having to worry about financials during this time is important," Miss Melvin said.

Mrs St Baker said the generosity shown by strangers was a testament to the spirit of regional communities like Griffith.

"That's why we came back to Griffith (after previously living in Sydney)," she said.

"It's about family here, and people are just so kind."

People can donate to Tiana and her family by visiting her GoFundMe page.

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