My mother, grandmother, aunt and my sister were all diagnosed with breast cancer at different ages and stages of their lives. Each of their diagnoses was different, and each faced different choices.

Naturally with my family history I made sure I had regular scans and was scrutinised very closely. In 2010, after moving to Perth from Melbourne, I was seen by the SCGH High Risk Clinic. When you are ‘high risk’ you go along every year. It’s hugely stressful. First there’s the mammogram, ultrasound and MRI. Then there’s the waiting, worrying and wondering.

In 2012, after 6 months of tests and a gruelling biopsy under MRI I was overjoyed when a dubious ‘patch’ in my left breast was declared clear of cancer. But that joy was short lived.

After more tests the following year the decision was made to remove it. It turns out it wasn’t clear after all. It was a grade one 9mm tubular carcinoma.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. I had only just finished a postgraduate scholarship and was facing unemployment. At the same time my landlord advised me they wanted to sell my home and I needed to find a new place to live!

So I was facing no job, no income, no home and I had just been diagnosed with cancer 2013 looked like a very unlucky number for me.

I know how lucky I am that the cancer was discovered early but I didn’t want to chance going through this again. The surgeon at SCGH was both brilliant and kind. Thanks to her, I was the first of my family to be offered the option of a double mastectomy which would prevent any chance of a reoccurrence, more years of testing, stress, wondering and waiting.

To help make my decision I read all that I could. I looked at online breast cancer forums, including breastcancerclick.com.au. With all the information available to me I decided I wanted the DIEP reconstruction– the most gruelling of the surgeries (I was told) offering a natural looking outcome.

Was I doing the right thing?

Meanwhile pictures began appearing on the internet featuring a lady post double mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction. The scarring was horrendous. Worrying about my decision I went back on the website and that’s when someone suggested I contact Moira at Breast Cancer Care WA. It stuns me now that I went through all this stress until then without reaching for their support

I’ll never forget that phone call from Moira as I drove home from university. I pulled over in the car and we talked for an hour about my decision, my fears, my children, my lack of support and my shaky finances. Nothing was ‘off-limits’. In her calm and lovely voice she suggested that I go back to see my breast clinic surgeon and discuss my fears.

Moira was like a magic weaver, drawing in all the lines of support that were available to me.

My new ‘best friend’ investigated all the financial support available to me as a single mother and arranged a house cleaner to help me in weeks post-surgery when I would be unable to lift anything heavier than my purse.

What would you do if you were told you had breast cancer? Kylie bravely shares her story...

With my wonderful children

She sent me information about ways to support my children who were reeling from the fact that their super-mum had cancer and was not able to be super any more.

Moira also connected me with Aileen, one of the counsellors from Breast Cancer Care WA who has been a constant source of kindness and wisdom for me and my family ever since.

I could not have survived the cancer surgery journey of 2013-2014 without Moira and Aileen with my sanity, family or my finances intact. I just wish I’d reached out to them earlier.

My sister and mother were both amazing; helping at home while I was is hospital. One of my dearest friends left her own husband and school-aged children in Melbourne for 6 days after I returned from hospital. My new boss was also incredibly kind, never hurrying me to begin work.

Aileen and Moira never made me feel rushed. I never felt judged. I never felt that my journey had to follow anyone else’s trajectory except my own. Their regular, quiet, kind contacts with me were like a safety net, or two vital pillars of support beneath the shaking foundations of my post cancer surgery life. Combined with the two other pillars of my friends and my close family they stopped me from crashing - even though it sometimes felt like I might

Breast Cancer Care WA organised a reward for my two children who’d been through the year from hell with mummy. They arranged for them to “light” the fireworks at the Royal Show on behalf of Breast Cancer Care WA. I can’t tell you what an amazing experience it was for them.

Together, the children and I shot the worst of 2014 into the sky with the fireworks and the remains of a very bad year were transformed by a night of joy and wonder. Recently, I was invited to a brilliant two day therapy group linking me with some wonderful, funny, bright women recovering in their own way just like me. I’m incredibly grateful for that also.

The future’s looking good.

Now, nearly 15 months since that awful diagnosis, I finally feel that life is returning to normal. I have just had my part-time contract renewed and am about to return to some casual teaching. I’ve lost so much weight, people often comment about how well I look. I just smile and say ‘thank you’.

But the biggest thank you I reserve for Moira and Aileen. They have both made such an enormous difference to my cancer recovery journey, to my life and my children’s lives. I also say thank you to everyone at Breast Cancer Care WA who make everything happen.

What an amazing organisation. The women of Western Australia are incredibly fortunate to have these extraordinary people supporting women like me. We need to give Breast Cancer Care WA everything they need and more, so they can continue helping people and families like mine.”

Thank you

Kylie

With Moira...

Lighting the IGA

Fireworks Spectacular

at the IGA Perth

Royal Show

....and Aileen

You can help support more brave women like Kylie today by donating securely online. Click the ‘Donate’ button to the left, phone us on (08) 9324 3703. Thank you in advance.

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