)
- Stories/
- Personal Stories/
- Dan's story: “I didn't hear much after the word cancer”
Dan's story: “I didn't hear much after the word cancer"
Dan was always on the move. A devoted husband, father of two teenage girls and lifelong sports lover, he lived a busy, active life in Melbourne.
So, when a routine run left him unusually short of breath, he knew something wasn’t right. After a series of tests, Dan and his wife Simone sat waiting for answers.
“The doctor came in and said, ‘You’ve got cancer.’ Just like that,” he recalls.
“I didn’t hear much after the word cancer. I was just thinking, what does this mean? Am I going to die? What will my life look like? What’s the next step?”
In that moment, everything changed.
Dan was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in May 2024 and quickly began treatment. But beyond the physical toll was the challenge of navigating it all alone.
At that time, the McGrath Foundation was dedicated to supporting people experiencing breast cancer. Without a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Dan and Simone were left to manage multiple medical teams and constant information on their own.
“We had three different medical teams, surgeons, oncologists, specialists, and so much information coming at us,” Simone says.
“In the hospital system, the left hand often doesn’t talk to the right hand. I was trying to find one point of contact to help coordinate everything, but that didn’t exist,” Dan said.
Months later, while watching The Pink Test, they learned the McGrath Foundation was expanding its care to all cancers.
Simone turned to Dan and said, “Wouldn’t it be incredible to have a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse in our corner?”
When Dan’s cancer returned, this time to his liver, that support became a reality. He was connected with his McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Kelly.
“The difference in care was honestly, incredible. I don’t know how to describe it, words fail me, it’s a game changer. In fact, that doesn’t even feel big enough, it’s life changing.”
- Dan
Kelly came into their lives at one of their hardest moments.
“The recurrence of the cancer was a massive shock - it knocked us sideways,” Simone says.
Kelly brought clarity, coordinated care and supported the whole family.
“During cancer treatment, you’re so focused on something negative all the time, any positive is a win – then this person comes into your life who is positive. It’s such an instant bond,” Dan says.
“Amongst many things, Kelly was able to coordinate support for Dan’s mental health and the anxiety he was experiencing,” Simone says.
“It’s a hugely complicated job. Kelly seems to make it look easy. And from my point of view, it now feels easier,” Dan says.
Through it all, Dan has held onto what matters most.
“Time off work has meant spending more time with my kids - in a way, something terrible has actually brought us closer together as a family,” he says.
To date, McGrath Cancer Care Nurses have provided free support to over 174,000 families across Australia, including Dan’s.
For families like Dan’s, that support means not facing cancer alone, but having the care, guidance and reassurance to navigate it together.
Kirby is used to caring for others. A registered nurse from Maitland, a mum to two young children, and someone who loves the outdoors, 37-year-old Kirby had built her life around caring for others and making the most of family time. Days were filled with work, camping trips, cricket, and the joyful chaos of raising her kids, Norah and Vance.
Matt’s life changed in an instant. At 34, he was working in civil construction and raising a young family with his partner Kyra, life was busy but normal. Then one day, something didn’t feel right.
As a mum of three, Meg was used to being on the go, balancing family life with her work in disability support services. Then a strange tightness in her leg began to bother her.
Vicky became a regular donor after learning McGrath Cancer Care Nurses now support people going through all types of cancer. Having been through cancer three times, she knows first-hand the difference their care makes.
When Michelle was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44, life moved quickly from uncertainty to treatment. With the support of her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, she navigated the experience with practicality, strength and a renewed clarity about what mattered most.
When a routine blood test revealed multiple myeloma, Helen’s life changed unexpectedly. With the support of her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse and her family, she approached treatment with optimism and continues to live life fully.