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General News

29 September, 2021

The fight of a lifetime for Mareeba’s Taejarna

MAREEBA schoolgirl Taejarna Gutchen has not been spending the start of her school holidays like her peers, but inside a hospital room in Brisbane after a shocking turn of events.

By Rhys Thomas

Mareeba girl Taejarna Gutchen pictured with her five year old sister Laysha in hospital.
Mareeba girl Taejarna Gutchen pictured with her five year old sister Laysha in hospital.

MAREEBA schoolgirl Taejarna Gutchen has not been spending the start of her school holidays like her peers, but inside a hospital room in Brisbane after a shocking turn of events. 

After experiencing sharp abdominal pain at the start of September, the 13-year old was taken to Mareeba Hospital before being transferred to Cairns for an MRI scan. 

A massive tumour was then discovered on her right ovary, news that shook the family to its core. 

Taejarna underwent surgery last Wednesday to remove her ovaries and another smaller tumour was discovered on her left ovary.

Taejarna is currently staying in the oncology unit in Brisbane Children’s Hospital surrounded by her parents, and five-year-old sister Laysha.

“We are absolutely devasted,” mother Tiaira said.

"It’s not nice when you get called into a room with two doctors and three health professionals, you always know something is up.

“I wish it was just the appendix like they first thought, so I knew something was up when they called me in, it was just shattering. 

“At first we kept a lot from her, she didn’t know the extent of it, she knew she had a tumour and that it needed to come out.”

Now it is a waiting game as the family awaits the results of the tests to find out if the tumours are cancerous and if Taejarna will need to start chemotherapy. 

“She’s probably doing better than I am, she’s doing really well,” Tiaira said. 

“We just have to stay positive.”

Members of the Gutchen family got together recently and held a family prayer for Taejarna and her family.

“It was just wonderful they are all so amazing and it’s good support for us,” Tiaira said. 

“We know that they are always there for us, they ring up daily to check in.”

As fulltime working parents Tiaira and Darryl now must juggle only one working wage plus the stress and concern that comes with their daughter’s situation.

The family is pleading for people to give them a helping hand as they navigate this difficult time. 

There is an option to support the family directly by sending money to Tiaira via direct deposit, if this is something you would like to do the account details are as follows, name: Tiaira J Gutchen, BSB 633000, Account no. 131659799.

Tiaira had some words for everyone who has been offering their support for Taejarna from her friends, family, neighbours, and strangers.

“Thank you to everyone who has donated so far, it has been a big relief off us,” she said.

“If everyone can stay positive, we will get through this.”

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