Kellie Finlayson stripped down Wednesday for a good cause: raising awareness about skin cancer.
The 28-year-old wife of AFL star Jeremy Finlayson was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in August 2021, three months after giving birth to their daughter Sophia.
Take Instagram as part of a collaboration with sontse and Sh!t Talkers Podcast, Kellie posed topless on a balcony while covering her chest in the black and white clip.
‘Untanned. Where we go beyond the surface to bare the delicate conversation around skin cancer. Because your skin is worth protecting and your story is worth sharing,’ she captioned the video.
Earlier this week, Kellie marked three years of living with cancer with a moving and sometimes heartbreaking montage of what it’s like to be a young mother fighting this deadly disease.
Her Instagram post included confronting behind-the-scenes footage of her struggle, including being forced to wear adult diapers, hair loss, and the pain of undergoing constant medical procedures.
Kellie Finlayson (pictured) stripped off for a good cause on Wednesday, raising awareness for skin cancer.
Taking to Instagram as part of a collaboration with Sontse and Sh!t Talkers Podcast, Kellie posed topless on a balcony while covering her chest in the black and white clip.
Finlayson captioned the post with ‘3 years. 3 whole damn years, plus a crying emoji.
She initially attributed her symptoms to postpartum recovery, but subsequent tests revealed that the cancer had already advanced significantly.
Kellie underwent intensive treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgeries, but faced ongoing health problems.
In December 2022, after experiencing chest pain, scans revealed that his cancer had metastasized to his lungs, resulting in a terminal diagnosis.
Despite this, he began another round of chemotherapy in January 2023 to control the disease.
In mid-2023, Kellie shared hopeful updates, as the treatment initially showed positive effects, although the cancer was still terminal.
He stopped his chemotherapy and radiation treatments to rely on natural therapies and alternative medicine.
However, by July this year the cancer had grown again, prompting further consultations and another round of chemotherapy in August.
Earlier this week, Kellie marked three years of living with cancer with a moving and sometimes heartbreaking montage of what it’s like to be a young mother fighting this deadly disease. Pictured with her husband Jeremy
Her Instagram post included confronting behind-the-scenes footage of her struggle, including being forced to wear adult diapers, hair loss, and the pain of undergoing constant medical procedures.
Despite the terrible nature of her long struggle, the 28-year-old remains a loving mother.
The family also decided to sell their Adelaide home at auction for $915,000 to meet their growing need for home care and medical equipment.
The three-year battle with cancer has taken its toll both mentally and physically, leaving Kellie with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Throughout her career, Kellie has spoken openly about her experiences, with the aim of raising awareness about bowel cancer and the importance of early detection.
A recent video, which was also posted by Jeremy, shows a lot of strength, smiling, dancing and enjoying life with her husband and daughter Sophia.
It also shows the reality of living with terminal cancer: the tears, the hair loss, the endless medical treatments, the loss of dignity and the rollercoaster of emotions that Kellie has endured to stop her incurable condition.
Her story has become an inspiration and call to action for others facing similar battles, so it’s no surprise that her latest video post has generated an avalanche of incredible responses.
‘You will probably never fully know the lives you have touched, the people you have inspired or the difference you have made. You keep going, giving hope to so many. What a role model you are,” posted Hugo Toohey, two-time cancer survivor and mental health advocate.
‘Absolutely amazed by you. My husband has battled CRC and many of those images were familiar to him. You bring a lot of light to a dark subject and showing the dark parts is legendary too. Keep going, beautiful human,’ another follower responded.
‘Having met you just once I was stunned when you told me you were fighting cancer. You radiate life, I couldn’t believe your positivity and your brilliance. “As many have said, you are inspiring, a beautiful soul, mother, wife and a role model to us all,” another responded.
Constant visits to the hospital for chemotherapy and radiation therapy have become the new normal for Kellie over the past three years.