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- Margos Story Jennie Has Treated Me With So Much Care
Margo's story: “Jennie has treated me with so much care"
Margo Degrassi has been living with metastatic breast cancer since 2019 after being first being diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years earlier. Throughout her treatment, she’s been supported by McGrath Cancer Care Nurse Jennie McNaught.
At the time of her diagnosis, Margo says her immediate thoughts were for her husband Enzo, whose mother had passed away from breast cancer.
“It was pretty heart wrenching. I tried to think at that stage, all those years ago, that I hope I’m not going to take after his mum, and that medications have improved.”
- Margo
Living with cancer
After going through surgery and treatment, Margo says she had “11 years of being all clear before it [cancer] decided to show it’s ugly face again.”
In 2019, Margo learned that the cancer had metastasised to her bones.
“I was devastated. You know, I worried about my grandchildren, and would talk to my husband about growing old together… I was really, really devastated,” she says of the diagnosis.
Alongside treatments including radiation therapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, Margo says a positive mindset has helped her deal with the setbacks, which include finding out the cancer had metastasis in her liver in 2022.
“Don’t get me wrong, I still have these meltdowns that I’m over it. But you’ve just got to keep on keeping on, don’t you? I have a wonderful GP that’s always telling me about new treatments that are coming in the future, and that gives me hope.
“Jennie - and my oncologist - keep me positive and tell me to keep on enjoying life and going on holidays and things because that’s what we’re doing this treatment for.”
“Jennie keeps me positive and tells me to keep on enjoying life and going on holidays and things because that’s what we’re doing this treatment for.”
- Margo
Going through cancer with care
Margo says the support of her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Jennie has been invaluable. Whether it's by answering questions about her treatment, providing information, or simply by accompanying her to her oncology appointments.
“I’m grateful to be able to ask all the questions that I may have missed during visits my oncologist,” she explains. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to who is very knowledgeable and caring.
“She is just wonderful. When I found out that the cancer had metastasised to my liver I was speaking with Jennie every other week. She doesn’t just give me my blood results and then hang up, she likes to have a chat about what I’ve been up to, like did I have a good weekend? We chat about all sorts of things. And we like to joke around. Sometimes I say to her ‘you know, I’ve got to p—s these little buggers off.
Jennie on providing care
“Margo absolutely lights up the room,” says Jennie. “She has dealt with her disease with grace and positivity.”
Jennie says she speaks with Margo on a weekly basis as she manages her disease.
“Metastatic cancer can be all encompassing for both the patient and their families. It can take over life with treatment, treatment appointments and oncology reviews, not to mention the fear of recurrence or spread. Metastatic cancer is not a curable disease, it becomes a chronic condition that patients need to learn to live with unfortunately.
“My job is support them to be able to do this, while also having quality of life. I can be their contact person between all the other health care professionals that they can contact for support and reassurance, be a sounding board while also attending their clinical needs."
Vanessa Kostrz was diagnosed with breast cancer just 18 months after an anal cancer diagnosis. With back-to-back cancers, she knows the difference a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse makes.
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