Annabel

Hi my name is Annabel and I am 52 (born 12 July 1971) and currently learning to live with my third diagnosis of breast cancer. I live on a property in remote western Queensland with my husband and five children; 3 young adults and 2 in their last years of boarding school.

I was first diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast cancer ER+ at the age of 29, when I was 37 weeks pregnant with our second child. Our first born was a little challenging to breastfeed, so I went to see a lactation consultant to improve my skills. I mentioned I had a “blocked milk duct” and I am forever thankful for the quick referral that followed. The post diagnosis whirlwind involved a caesarean section birth, lumpectomy, lymphadenectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, all offered 1100km away from my home, husband, new born and toddler. Two years of hormone treatment induced menopause and 5 years cancer free, I was “cured!”

We went on to have another 3 gorgeous healthy babies amidst the millennial drought. Our country was suffering, the work was hard, but our home was full of love, chaos, and happiness.

My second diagnosis came in 2009, at the age of 35, as a new fast growing ER+ lump in the same breast. This time we decided on a more aggressive treatment plan and was surprised with a couple of unplanned hiccups to boot! Chemotherapy to reduce the grape-fruit sized tumour, bi-lateral mastectomy and simultaneous breast implants, post operative infection, removel of implants, and then 3 months of chemotherapy. Again, treatment was 1100km away from my home, husband and five children. 12 months later, I decided to have a trans-flap bilateral breast reconstruction to improve my sense of self as a woman. An oophorectomy, to remove my ovaries, resulted in menopause (again) at the age of 37.

I had 15 glorious cancer-free years, where we raised children and livestock in the wide open plains and rocky hills of western Queensland. We were able to offer an amazing free childhood filled with life lessons for our family. I even went back to uni and studied again to fire up my chemo brain, and embark on a new career in nursing. I accepted any invitation to speak about my story publicly, not only as part of my healing process, but to attempt to offer some insight for others. My plan was to give back some of the care and knowledge that others had so generously offered me.

My third diagnosis was in January 2024 after 6 months of back and rib pain. I have osteoarthritis, so niggling pain is not uncommon. After Christmas 2023 was spent bedridden with pain, it was a chiropractor that requested an x-ray, that started the diagnosis process, and subsequent ER + (low), HER-, PR- metastatic breast cancer. I had great initial pain relief from radiation therapy and commenced treatment plan 1 of oral ribociclib, letrozole and dumenosab. 8 months on, the endocrine/hormone treatment has not controlled my tumours. I have just started 2 weeks of my second treatment plan, where I have had a rare cardiac adverse reaction to oral chemotherapy treatment, capecitabine, and have now ceased that treatment. So is it three diagnoses, or was it always just one? I always say, there is no point in what ifs, so forward I will go, 1, 2 and 3!

As I await the plan for the next treatment phase, I am so very grateful for my ever-supportive husband, family, friends and medical team. I look forward to every Tuesday with the ABCG girls who truly understand the never-ending uncertainty we all face. Here’s cheers to the next glorious 15 or so years!