Debbie’s story
The diagnosis I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in September 2016. It came as a huge shock as I’d just gone through 5 years of remission. I’d had a sore neck since April, but thought I’d just done something whilst power walking. After 8 physios, 4 osteos, an x-ray, and an MRI nothing was picked up. Finally, I went to have a cortisone injection in my neck for the … Read More
Anna and Zoe
This time two years ago, Anna woke up with stomach pain. She was healthy and just 32 years old so thought it wasn’t serious. Anna carried on with her life as usual, working full time and looking after her little girl, Zoe, who was just a year old. A few months later Anna woke up again, this time in a coughing fit and with back pain. A physiotherapist advised it … Read More
Jo
The “New Normal”: My Reflections on Living with Incurable Breast Cancer. I had already survived and won a significant stoush with breast cancer 6 years ago. When I was diagnosed with incurable metastatic breast cancer last year though, I had a major reality check. Suddenly, my previous breast cancer seemed like a walk in the park. With the previous cancer my surgeon told me to treat it like a job … Read More
Fred’s story
It was May 2008 when Sandra was diagnosed with breast cancer. Typically, Sandy’s attitude was “let’s get on with it and together we can beat this bugger”. Although we occasionally shared our fears that it would return, the more time that rolled by, the more we believed we had indeed beaten “the bugger”. On Christmas Eve in 2013, Sandra was admitted to hospital for urgent treatment after finding out her cancer had spread. … Read More
Adrienne
When you’re told you have terminal breast cancer, life as you know it changes completely. I found a lump in my breast in December 2008. In January I had an ultrasound, biopsy, appointments, and then came “the phone call”. It felt like I was on a merry-go-round. I never thought it would happen to me. I had no history of cancer in my family. In April 2009 I got the … Read More
My beautiful daughter-in-law
When I think about Desiree, the first thing that comes to mind is her strong and courageous nature. Even when it was obvious she was unwell, she always put on a brave face for those around her. Desiree was only 31 when she was diagnosed and 35 when we found out it had spread. I remember feeling such a deep sadness. Her son, my beautiful grandson Hayden, wasn’t going to have his mum help him grow up. And he knew that…because Desiree was really … Read More