Living with breast cancer.

Tweet I was Skyping with an overseas, and much loved member of our family the other day, and catching up with how she was dealing with her third round of chemo for breast cancer.

This lady has style and panache!

She first appeared wearing a head scarf and recounted the usual story of the trials and tribulations of what chemotherapy actually involves, and for someone who has absolutely no medical knowledge whatsoever, she now sounds like a seasoned oncology nurse trotting out technical terms and blood cell types that would make a pathology professor smile!


After a few minutes she disappeared for a few seconds and returned, resplendent, wearing her new blond wig. We got the full 360 degree view, and then with a theatrical flip, she whipped it off to reveal a near-bald dome, topped with a bit of dark fluff. The young bride next to me suppressed a gasp of shock, but we both agreed afterward that what we had seen showed courage, style and the amazing attitude that this lady has. Buts what's more, we were informed that "Chemo is great for your nails: they've never been so good"! Now this coming from a lady of fashion is high praise indeed.


I mention this because breast cancer is on the increase, but at the same time survival has never been better either: so the simple truth is that 1 in 9 Australian women will get breast cancer, and they will have to face up to the associated treatment.  If the example of our much loved family member is anything to go by, the "glass half full" approach can make the treatment period far more bearable.