Blog Topic: Coping with cancer
At 19 years old, Elizabeth was juggling full-time work and full-time study when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2017. Doctors initially suspected osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and spoke to Elizabeth about the possibility of amputating her leg. “I remember being completely overwhelmed,” Elizabeth says. “I was only 19. I was trying to build my […]
For Sebastian, the hardest part of an extremely rare cancer diagnosis was not the treatment, but managing the complexities associated with the diagnosis. Sebastian’s mediastinal mixed-germ cell tumour – a very rare hybrid – was discovered only after a CT scan intended to rule out a blood clot took place. “I am not sure I ‘felt’ anything other than immense frustration at first,” […]
Paediatric doctor Priyal was 34 when she received news that completely blindsided her: a breast cancer diagnosis. “I still remember how underprepared I was when the radiologist came into the room with a grim look on his face, pointing to the picture of the scan saying, ‘that’s cancer’,” says Priyal. Priyal had two children and was breastfeeding with her […]
When Laura was first diagnosed with cervical cancer, it was the last thing she expected. “I didn’t know anything about cancer,” she says. “I’d never had any experience with it in my family or among friends. You just don’t think it’s something that will happen to you.” Like many women, Laura’s symptoms were passed over as they were similar to what women […]
When Kon Galanis reflects on the past decade of his life, the word that comes up again and again is resilience. A Senior Business Analyst based in Sydney, Kon had built a busy career and family life when everything began to change. Within a short period, he was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s disease, and then bowel cancer. “In 2017, I was 41 […]
Matilda was just nine years old when her life changed with a devastating cancer diagnosis. Growing up near Albury, regional NSW, she loved gymnastics and spending time with her siblings. But a persistent pain in her ankle, which was dismissed for months, would eventually lead to the diagnosis of stage four bone cancer. At the […]
Cancer can be an overwhelming experience, bringing about significant emotional and physical effects. The effects of a cancer diagnosis and treatment can be upsetting and affect your self-esteem. Self-esteem may be impacted in various ways. Losing confidence and not feeling like yourself throughout the different stages of cancer is common and normal. However, with time and the right support, the way you perceive yourself can improve and there is the possibility to […]
My name is Sam, and I’m the proud mum of Jett, my beautiful son who was diagnosed with cancer at just 13 years old. In 2022, Jett took a flight to Queensland with his grandmother to visit his uncle. But our world changed forever when Jett suddenly went blind coming off the plane. I was working at the time, and received a call that Jett was being airlifted to hospital. They said Jett had a large mass in his brain, which was what caused him to go blind. They didn’t know […]
Jen and Ron were together for 49 years. After raising a family and working hard, with Jen as a nurse and Ron as a truck driver, they were looking forward to slowing down and travelling Australia. But life took a turn when Ron was diagnosed with a rare head and neck cancer in 2013. Over […]
A cancer diagnosis can come as a shock to anyone. It was a particular shock to Loretta Mostofi who led a healthy lifestyle as a personal trainer, eating well and exercising regularly. She recalls thinking, “How could I, of all people, end up here?” Loretta was diagnosed with a rare cancer called liposarcoma just before […]