Kellie Finlayson, former partner of AFL player Jeremy Finlayson, has shared a concerning update on her health, revealing she is experiencing liver failure as part of her ongoing battle with terminal bowel cancer. The update comes just days after she and her family returned from a trip to Disneyland.
Finlayson, 30, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2021, three months after the birth of her daughter. The cancer later spread to her lungs. Her treatment has focused on maintaining stability and quality of life. In a recent social media post, she responded to a fan's question about her treatment by stating, "I don't think anything is ever going as to plan as anyone would let you believe, but I'm 'OK' in medical terms right now besides my liver playing funny buggers (failing) lol".
Finlayson recently alluded to her health struggles in an advertisement, mentioning, "Let me tell you, I have had a week already... it has been a slog for the last couple of weeks actually, but we push through."
The family's trip to Disneyland in California was described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience. Finlayson shared images and videos from the trip, expressing her joy and disbelief at being there with her husband and daughter.
This trip followed another significant surgery in June, where she underwent a wedge resection on her left lung to remove tumors. She has previously had a procedure on her right lung and has undergone over 80 rounds of chemotherapy since her diagnosis in November 2021. Finlayson initially attributed her symptoms to postpartum changes before receiving her diagnosis.
Finlayson has become an advocate for early detection and listening to one's body, partnering with the Jodi Lee Foundation's 'Trust Your Gut' campaign. She has spoken about experiencing symptoms for seven years prior to her diagnosis, including changes in bowel habits, abdominal discomfort, and weight fluctuations, but was often told she was too young and healthy for serious testing.
Following Jeremy Finlayson's delisting from Port Adelaide, he has been playing for a suburban team and has signed to play in Darwin next year. It remains unclear if the family plans to relocate from Adelaide.
Finlayson previously shared that while she missed her social circle from the AFL WAG community, life outside the league had been less stressful, though she also revealed her family had received death threats from sports bettors.