When did you have breast cancer?

I was first diagnosed in May 2018.

How did you discover that you had breast cancer? Please share your personal cancer story.

Three days before Mother’s day in 2018 I went for a mammogram. It was a Thursday morning I remember.

I’d made a mental note in March when I’d found the lump to check again in April to see if it was still there. I almost dismissed it as being a cyst, since that was what was found on my previous mammogram 3 years prior to that. 3 years! Wow! That’s too long between checkups. That’s when I decided to go for a mammogram, “just to check it out”.

I remember lying in the dim lit sonar room after the mammogram…I’d never had a breast sonar before. They just needed to “check something out”. 

And there it was. This big blob of tissue that shouldn’t be there. 

Then the action began. Lights on, needles, specimen bottles, more people, swab the area, numb the area, this won’t hurt, three biopsies taken of the visitor within. I asked to see the biopsies…and I knew. Those were not cysts. 

Those white worm-like floating things in the bottle were parts of a tumour. I felt numb.

The results were only out on the following Tuesday. The wait was agonising, and I was soon to learn that it would not be the last of many “waits” when you have cancer, like any disease I guess. Surgery, treatments, tests, stress, etc.

But I survived!

What motivated you to sign up to become a Reach for Recovery volunteer?

I had been searching for a “life purpose” and a cause to give back to for some time, but I was so busy and stressed at work that I didn’t really have time to do anything, other than cope with work. 

After I resigned at the end of 2020, I received an email asking if I’d like to join Reach for Recovery as a volunteer – so there was my answer – right place, right time!

You completed an online course to become a Peer Support volunteer in 2021. How did you experience the training?

I found the online training very easy to access and convenient, especially in winter where one is less inclined to want to go out. 

Furthermore, travelling at night would not be optimal for most people. All in all, a positive experience, but am looking forward to some more training at the end of the month. I think there is still a place for “in person” training from the more experienced volunteers.

How do you think helping other women with breast cancer will impact your own life and recovery?

When I see a patient in hospital, it is the most uplifting feeling for me. I feel such gratitude that I can be there to help her through this situation, to give her hope when one feels hopeless, to give her support when she feels lost. It is the most gratifying part of my life!

What one thing would you say to women dealing with and recovering from breast cancer (including the impact of having had a mastectomy – if you had one)?

Get a second opinion or more until you are happy – different facilities offer different options – do your homework to get the best outcome for you.

What one piece of advice do you have for all women in terms of breast cancer?

Please check yourself regularly. The earlier you catch any cancer, the more successful and less invasive the treatments are. Don’t let fear prevent you from dealing with a possible issue sooner rather than later.

How did your breast cancer change your view of life?

They say a cancer diagnosis changes your life, and yes, it does, but not necessarily in ways you think.

I’ve discovered sides of myself that lay hidden, that I didn’t know existed. I uncovered what my values are and what I won’t be part of any more. 

What and who raises my vibration, and the same for what drains me, depleting my energy and leaving me stressed and empty. It’s made me more compassionate, more giving, more spiritual and intuitive, more grateful, blessed.

To say the experience turned out to be a positive experience for me in the long run seems extreme, but what I have gained in terms of self knowledge and life experience has changed me and made me a better person.