Saturday, 21 May 2011

The Mother's Day Classic, 2011.

The Roaring Twenties Girls!
Emma, Me, Elisha and Stacey.
The Mother’s Day Classic was a huge success! It was a beautiful sunny morning on the Sunday the 8th of May in The Domain and a perfect day to spend Mother’s Day.  I arrived at 8am for my first ever Mother’s Day Classic, joined by my beautiful Mum, family and friends. It was an amazing experience to see so many people there to help raise awareness and funds for Breast Cancer research. 
Mum and Tara.
Walking to The Domain.

"The Roaring Twenties"

It was great to be able to participate with my young “Roaring Twenties” teammates Emma, Stacie and Elisha. When I created our team, I wasn’t sure if any of us would be able to do the walk.  It was a little bit of a challenge but I felt proud to have completed the 8kms, even running the last leg of the event! It was a fantastic feeling to be doing something to help find a cure for breast cancer and to know we are making a difference to help save lives. 
Kristine, Gail and I.
Nicky and I. 
One of my beautiful nurses who has cared for me during Chemo.
Brad and Sam during the walk.
Relaxing after the walk.
My beautiful friend Jess.
Thank you to all of you who have sponsored me and my team. “The Roaring Twenties” have now raise $27,596.20 for vital breast cancer research. I also would personally like to thank everyone for their kindness and continuous support they have shown me during my treatment.  Without the love and support from my family and friends it would have been a very difficult journey!
My beautiful Mum and I just before the walk.
For me, the journey is almost over! On Tuesday it would have been my twelfth and final treatment of taxol if I had completed the full cycle. However, this Tuesday it was my turn to be the chemo buddy.  I sat while my poor Mum took my favourite seat and had her first session of chemotherapy. The strange thing is we could have been sitting there having chemo together. On Thursday I experienced my first session of Radiotherapy. After almost twenty minutes of being moved around, drawn on and measured I was zapped for about 30 seconds and on my way. Only 28 sessions to go, with the final session on the 4th of July, Independence Day!


See you all next year in 2012 when I attempt to run the 4kms!

Friday, 6 May 2011

Good News Week!


Well this week has been great news for me all round! On Monday I met with my Oncologist and she confirmed that I would definitely not be having any more chemotherapy.  That means no more visits to the chair for me, hooray!

Over the last four weeks I have been anxiously waiting for pathology results having been tested for the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene. Due to my pathology results of having a Triple Negative tumour, there was an extremely high possibility that I would be a carrier of the BRCA1 gene. I was not looking forward to making decisions if my results were positive.

I met with the Professor of Genetics yesterday and thankfully my results came back NEGATIVE to both BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene. If my results had come back positive, I would have been faced with the decision of considering a double mastectomy as the possibility of breast cancer returning (if you are a carrier of the gene) is around a 65% chance. It also would have meant that I would be at a considerably high risk of developing Ovarian cancer. What a huge relief it was to be told that the results were negative, I now have one less thing to worry about!

My treatment is now coming closer to an end! Next week I will have my simulation appointment to get my tattoos and will begin six weeks of radiotherapy the following week. I will then be monitored for the rest of my life with annual MRI’s, mammograms and ultrasounds due to my age.


“The Roaring Twenties” have now raised a total of over $24,000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I’m very excited for the big walk tomorrow!  With t-shirts planned and 1920’s headbands made, I am looking forward to walking with my family and team mates and wish all the mums a very Happy Mother’s Day!