GoFundMe for Home and Away’s Alea O’Shea raises $78k amid brain cancer battle

A GoFundMe set up for former Home and Away favourite Alea O’Shea has already almost exceeded its $80,000 target after she undergoes another surgery in her ongoing brain surgery battle.

The 25-year-old, who has been keeping fans updated with her progress via social media, revealed her shock diagnosis last November.

She’s since had several surgeries after vowing to fight the disease head on.

Set up in her name on March 27 by friend Lauren Newton, in just three days, the fundraiser had made 98 per cent of its target thanks to an outpouring of love for the Aussie actress. Lauren has called the star “a remarkable young woman whose strength, kindness, and determination continue to inspire everyone around her”.

A GoFundMe set up to help raise money for Alea O’Shea’s cancer treatment has nearly exceeded its $80,000 traget in just three days. (Credit: Alea O’Shea/Instagram)

Fighting for herself – and others

According to the page, Alea underwent her latest surgery just last week. “While her courage has never wavered, the journey has been incredibly challenging for both Alea and her family,” Lauren wrote.

Throughout her own battle, Alea been focused on how she can help others going through the same thing.

One of her plights has been access to good quality wigs. She set up CEARE By Alea O’Shea, raising funds to help woman access high-quality wigs from Tammy Lobato Wigs “because feelings like you shouldn’t be a luxury”.

Alea has undergone another surgery as she continues to battle brain cancer. (Credit: Alea O’Shea/GoFundMe)

A bolt from the blue

Alea was a busy working actress when her whole life changed seemingly overnight.

Noticing that her smile had changed and it was getting harder to move her mouth and get her words out, she grew somewhat concerned. Some migraines followed, but “nothing scary”.

It was during a trip to LA that things took a turn when she “lost feeling in two of my fingers” which then began to spread.

A trip to the physio resulted in her being sent for a brain scan – which could well have saved her life.

Brimming with positivity, she insisted she was facing this challenge with a good attitude and wouldn’t let it define her.

“Mostly, I’m going to be showing up as me, every single day that I can,” she said.

“This isn’t going to become my whole personality; it’s just another part of my story.”

Can’t keep her down

She’s since appeared in Underbelly: Vanishing Act, Kung Fu, So Help Me Todd, Sight Unseen and even had an uncredited role in an episode of Riverdale, to name a few.

Most recently, she appeared as Kate in the film Dead Eyes, which held its world premiere at SXSW on March 12.