Life is a journey filled with unexpected challenges and moments of triumph. In this story, we meet Liz, a survivor who faced breast cancer not once, but twice. Her remarkable journey is a testament to resilience and the importance of early detection.
In 2019, Liz received a diagnosis that shook her to the core. With no family history of breast cancer, the news came as a complete surprise. Her journey began in late 2018 when she stumbled upon a lump during a routine shower. However, with other pressing family matters at hand, she decided to postpone a visit to the doctor. It wasn’t until February 2019 that suspicions arose, leading to a lumpectomy. Unexpectedly, complications emerged due to an undetected infection, resulting in a mastectomy, followed by a grueling series of seven surgeries, life support, dialysis, and the painstaking process of relearning basic functions like walking, talking, and eating.
Emerging from this challenging chapter, Liz found herself prescribed hormone blockers for what was initially meant to be a five-year course of treatment. Over the course of the next three years, all tests showed reassuring results. That is until January 2022, when routine screenings revealed what was feared to be a recurrence of cancer. Another surgery became inevitable, accompanied by the daunting news that not only had the cancer returned, but it had also morphed into a more aggressive form. March 2022 marked the start of Liz’s upheaval-filled journey through chemotherapy.
The chemotherapy regimen posed a significant challenge, both for Liz and her family, leading to frequent hospitalisations over a grueling three-month period. The toll was evident, with complications arising from severe side effects, including a heart attack, blood transfusions, electrolyte imbalances, and a period of confinement to a wheelchair.
September 2022 brought yet another surgical procedure, this time targeting two lymph nodes. Miraculously, on September 20th, 2022, Liz received the long-awaited news of being cancer-free. Following this triumph, she continued receiving injections every three weeks for several more months before transitioning back to hormone blockers, which she would continue until the end of 2024.
Throughout the course of 2023, Liz found herself surrounded by unwavering support from her family, friends, medical team, and colleagues at Sublime Care. Organisations like the Cancer Council and the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation provided valuable assistance, offering cleaning and shopping vouchers to ease her journey.
Returning to work in February of the current year marked a monumental achievement for Liz. She believes that her personal journey has transformed her into a more empathetic and understanding support worker. Her experience has given her a profound insight into the struggles of those with physical disabilities, where the mind yearns to act, but the body falters. Above all, it has heightened her appreciation for the preciousness of life and how swiftly it can be threatened.
With a heart full of wisdom, Liz offers invaluable advice to anyone grappling with cancer:
“Talk about how you’re feeling and your treatment, accept the help that’s offered, and always remember that someone out there may be facing an even greater challenge than you are.”