But she needs a little help.

The 23-year-old Launceston university student was diagnosed with breast cancer five days ago, but for the moment she is most concerned about her dream of having children.

On Wednesday night, just one day after Ms Snare's diagnosis, a friend started an online fund-raising campaign for in-vitro fertilisation, as treatment could affect Ms Snare's fertility.

By yesterday afternoon, 159 people had donated $5624 towards her $12,000 goal.

Ms Snare said she never expected or hoped to be thinking about children at 23 years old.

"I'm just trying to raise money and awareness, because it's really scary and I just feel like a lot of weight would be lifted off my shoulders knowing that I can go through with IVF and have kids," Ms Snare said.

"That's the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow, and I know that's what I'm going to be fighting for."

Ms Snare said the death of her mother five years ago had strengthened her desire to have children.

"She was so strong, she had breast cancer when I was about four or five, and I didn't even know she was sick ... but she kicked its arse, and we thought it was all right," Ms Snare said.

"It was ovarian cancer than got her in the end, and she held on for about three years." Ms Snare said she felt that watching her mum's experiences had strengthened her for her own treatment.

"Knowing she beat breast cancer, that's a real motivation for me," Ms Snare said, "I know I can do it too."

Ms Snare said she half- expected her boyfriend to bolt when she was diagnosed, but he had been "amazing".

"It will be our one-year anniversary next week, and I feel like mum's sent him to me," Ms Snare said.

"If I was told that I needed to start having kids, and freezing eggs, and didn't have someone in my life I wanted to share that with - I think that would have broken me."

Ms Snare doesn't yet know all the details of her cancer or her prognosis. She will learn more when she meets her oncologist this week.

For now, she's bolstered by the generosity of others.

"I've cried a lot this week, but for good reasons. Strangers, and people I didn't think I was even close with, have been giving so much," Ms Snare said. "I hate asking for charity, but I don't have a choice. I have to ask for the kindness of strangers to help me out."

Ms Snare said she hoped her fund-raising campaign would not only raise enough for one IVF cycle, but also raise awareness of breast cancer risks among young women.

•To donate, visit http:/ /www.gofundme.com/9d9tv8.