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- Meg's story: “It's so nice to have someone there”
Meg's story: “It's so nice to have someone there"
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.
“I had an awful feeling,” she says. “My body felt wrong. It was hard to explain, but you just know.”
What followed was a long search for answers. Appointments, uncertainty and trying to make sense of something that didn’t add up.
Meg was 34 when she was diagnosed with myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
“Everyone was shocked when the diagnosis came,” she says. “But I wasn’t. I finally felt validated.”
After so much uncertainty, having an answer mattered.
Treatment was intense. Meg underwent radiotherapy and five surgeries to remove the tumour.
“I did quite well through treatment,” she says, “but afterward, I couldn’t move my foot.”
The physical impact was significant and ongoing. Walking became harder. Daily life changed.
But it wasn’t just physical.
The emotional weight of what she was going through, alongside caring for her family, was constant.
A few months after her diagnosis, Meg was connected with her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Carissa.
“Before Carissa, I didn’t have anyone to go to.”
- Meg
“Every time I saw her, I needed something different, but she always met me where I was.”
For Carissa, supporting Meg meant understanding the full picture.
“With such a rare diagnosis it presented a lot of challenges that have led to drastic changes to the function of her leg. It’s had a very physical impact on her,” Carissa says.
“I think with Meg, learning that she’s a pragmatic person, my challenge with her is working through the emotional toll of having cancer and navigating the impact that her diagnosis has had on her physically and emotionally, providing her with the tools, whilst she’s being a mum, wife and herself.”
Carissa became someone Meg could turn to. Not just for clinical guidance, but to help her process what she was going through and find a way forward.
For Meg, that support made a lasting difference.
“Carissa’s support has been massive, when your mortality gets thrown in your face, your world falls apart, it doesn’t matter why, it’s so nice to have someone there.”
Today, there are 367 McGrath Cancer Care Nurses across Australia, providing free care to people experiencing any type of cancer.
For Meg, it meant having the support she needed to navigate cancer and start feeling like herself again.
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.
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.
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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.
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.