Pam

My name is Pam Patterson, I am 73, born on 29/7/43, I live in Murgon which is 200klms n/w of Toowoomba. I had my left breast removed on the 4^th of December 2013. I had Chemotherapy for six months then radium for six weeks, which finished in September 2014. I was told on the 27^th of April 2017 I had secondary breast cancer in the stomach area.

I have a husband Chris who is my carer, as I have lymphedema and wear a support garment day and night. I have a son, Mark daughter-in-law Wendy and granddaughters Brianna 15 and Amy 13 who live 45kms away in Kingaroy. My mother who is 97 lives in Toowoomba and I have two brothers.

I have had all of my treatment at St Andrews Hospital in Toowoomba. Gaye the breast nurse at St Andrews gave me a brochure about the Advanced Breast Cancer Group and encouraged me to get in touch with Mary and Pia. My local breast nurse Ros also recommended the group. I range Mary and she arranged a phone interview on the 9^th of May. I did my first phone-in on the 30^th of June. Unfortunately I had an appointment at 1:30 and I was only able to talk to three other members. I was a bit nervous but even for a that short time I found it beneficial. I feel we are lucky to have so much support, sufferers of other types of cancer don’t have as much support.