Stories
The Day I Realized My Fertility Decisions Were Mine AloneThere was a particular afternoon when the hospital corridor seemed too bright, my appointment notes were folded into a bag, and everyone around me had an…
Why I Stopped Googling My Symptoms and Started Calling My NurseThree years into remission, I still remember exactly when the panic hit. It was a Wednesday night in Brisbane, my youngest had just gone down, and a dull ache…
What My Mother's Breast Cancer Taught Me Before My Own DiagnosisGrowing up in a fibro cottage in the western suburbs of Sydney, I learned early that cancer didn't knock politely before entering a home. My mother was…
The insurance phone call that took three hours and one deep breathThe phone rang out at 9:14am on a Tuesday, which is apparently when every Australian insurance call centre decides to wake up and put the kettle on. I had my…
Talking With Your Teenage Daughter About Your CancerTelling your teenage daughter that you have cancer can feel like trying to hold a dozen emotions at once. You may be frightened, angry, exhausted, or unsure…
The Strange Comfort of Choosing a New WigThere is a particular kind of excitement in buying a wig after breast cancer treatment. It is practical, emotional, slightly ridiculous and deeply personal all…
Airport Travel With a Port: A Survivor’s Practical GuideAirports can make anyone feel as though they have forgotten something important. For a breast cancer survivor travelling with an implanted port, that feeling…
The Small Notebook That Changed My Treatment DaysThe first time I took a notebook into the infusion suite, I did not have a grand plan. I was trying to remember what the nurse had said about side effects,…
The Logistics of Mastectomy Recovery: Toilets to PillowsMastectomy recovery is often described through medical milestones: the operation, drains coming out, the pathology appointment and the gradual return to…
When Breast Cancer Comes For Your Best Friend TooThere is a particular kind of shock when your best friend receives the diagnosis you had spent the past year learning to live with. You may recognise the…