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Michelle’s story: “Sam’s care was so warm and compassionate, I genuinely felt she had my back.”
At 44, Michelle was in the middle of a fitness streak and completing her master’s in psychology when an uncomfortable movement during a Pilates class later prompted her to do a breast check.
What followed was a fast-moving series of tests and decisions that reshaped the next year of her life. Supported by her family and her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Sam Moules, Michelle went through treatment with practicality and a new clarity about how she wanted to live her life moving forward.
Facing the Reality of Cancer
Following a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy, Michelle received the news nobody wants to hear - a breast cancer diagnosis, delivered on her son’s birthday, making an already devastating moment even harder. Telling her eight-year-old son was one of the most difficult moments, and sharing her diagnosis more broadly with friends and family also felt confronting. “It gets stuck in your throat,” she says.
Once the diagnosis was confirmed, everything moved quickly. “It was a train that you get on, and you go.” Further testing, including lymph node biopsies, confirmed the cancer hadn’t spread – a welcome relief amid the turmoil, and within weeks she began aggressive chemotherapy treatment.
She completed 12 weeks of chemotherapy with immunotherapy, followed by four cycles of a stronger chemotherapy. “I hallucinated after the first round but adjusted as it went on.”
Surgery and a short course of daily radiation followed, with immunotherapy continuing for almost a year. Managing medications, side effects and appointments became a daily routine.
Seeing her father-in-law’s experience with pancreatic cancer showed her how valuable coordinated care can be, and how much he would have benefited from the support she received. It reinforced how important it was to have her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Sam Moules, as a backbone of her care team.
The Support That Made the Difference
“It was so important having Sam,” Michelle says. “You think you have everything handled through other avenues, but her role was checking in constantly, telling me when I was taking on too much or being too brave, and helping me prioritise myself. She put me in touch with other resources I didn’t even know I needed.” Sam quickly became the coordinated support Michelle was missing. She felt at ease from their first interaction, and Sam soon understood her matter-of-fact style. “For Michelle, information was power,” Sam says.
Supporting Michelle as a whole person was Sam’s priority. “She was in the peak of her life, with her son starting school,” Sam says. “It was about helping her keep life moving while she went through cancer.” Michelle’s experience left her passionate about access to support for all cancer patients. “I was so excited to see the McGrath Foundation expand to caring for all cancers,” she says. “Sam’s care was so warm and compassionate, and I genuinely felt she had my back.”
“It was about helping her keep life moving while she went through cancer.”
- Sam
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When Renee was 33, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast. In November last year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her right breast. Being married and raising three young boys and running a business with her husband, Renee quickly acted and sought treatment.
Isla Foy, 35, was 26 weeks pregnant when she felt pain in her left breast. As the pain continued to increase, she saw her doctor six weeks later where she was referred to an ultrasound.
Friends Sam Burge and Nikki Shar both have cancer experiences. Sam was diagnosed with breast cancer and had the support of a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, while Nikki nursed her husband through cancer alone.
Kim Van Gestel was diagnosed with breast cancer after feeling a lump in her breast. She has been supported throughout by McGrath Cancer Care Nurse Tamara Fernandez.