She was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 11 years old. She underwent chemotherapy and had a mastectomy all while continuing to be a mother to three young children. In October 2020 it had returned and my mum was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. It had spread almost everywhere. She’d had no idea. One minute she’d been on holiday up north of WA hiking 20km a day then a few days after she came back she had a bad cough that wouldn’t go away so she visited the doctor. Turned out it was breast cancer and she was coughing because it had spread to her lungs. But other than that she didn’t have symptoms. She started straight away with chemo and radiotherapy. I cried and she told me don’t worry, I’ve always been a fighter and I won’t stop now. Overnight her life changed drastically. She had to stop going to work and began to loosing her hair but she did it with a strength, courage, smile and even laughter I was in contrast awe of. She changed the emoji on her phone to a bald one and saw every day as a fashion show to brighten the lives of those around her and herself and to wear all the pretty clothes she had.
My mum died in May 2021. Due to complications from surgery. It was a big shock. Even to all her doctors. There’s always a risk with surgery but you never think the worst will happen. She’d been doing so well and the treatments had been working so much so she was going to get a break and my parents booked a few holidays.
I know my mum would want to spread the message to check yourself, go to get checked and to remind those around you to get checked. I know she’d want to spread the message the huge impact breast cancer can have on those who are diagnosed and their loved ones and just to love big, laugh big and show gratitude for everyday.
I want people go know how many people it impacts. How deeply it impacts loved ones. People don’t want to talk about. But we need to. Even if it’s hard. Problems don’t go away if we ignore them.
Loosing my mum is probably the greatest loss I will ever experience.
#breastcancerawareness #breastawareness