- Stories/
- Personal Stories/
- 20 Years Of Having A Voice
20 years of having a voice
Emily Quinlan and her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Joylene Fletcher
For Emily Quinlan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 25, having a voice meant having someone she could turn to – someone who was always in her corner.
All at once, she was thrown into a world of urgent decisions and unfamiliar medical jargon. In the middle of COVID lockdowns, when her family couldn’t be by her side, one voice became her constant – “Mumma Joy”, her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Joylene.
“I will be forever grateful to the McGrath Foundation for blessing me with Joylene. She found the fight in me when all hope felt a little lost.”
- Emily Quinlan
“It doesn’t matter what cancer you have, it’s hard to navigate,” Joylene explains. “Where is the information? You can be really lost, how do you know you’re making the best choices for yourself? By giving someone a voice, they understand what’s going on – they are not alone, someone who cares is there.”
Emily and Joylene’s connection was captured on a public mural in North Sydney, a tribute to the power of care between McGrath Cancer Care Nurses and their patients across Australia.
“My dear mother once said to me: ‘You are a nurse because you were put in this life to serve others – to give voice and to care. Continue that journey and your life will be fulfilling.”
- Joylene Fletcher
At the heart of the McGrath Foundation’s extraordinary journey is Kerry Patford, one of the original McGrath Cancer Care Nurses who has since risen to become the Foundation’s Chief Nurse.
Over the last 20 years, McGrath Cancer Care Nurses have been a lifeline in regional and rural Australia, providing expert care, hope, and support to families during their toughest times.
20 years ago, Tracy Bevan sat beside her best friend, Jane McGrath, sharing tears, laughter, and what felt like an impossible dream.
More than 20 years ago, Alison Szwajcer met Jane McGrath. Alison was Jane’s breast care nurse, a humble but unforgettable presence who entered Jane’s life when her cancer returned and metastasised in 2006.