Liberal MLC Michelle Lensink opens up on cancer journey following end of radiotherapy treatment

A simple follow-up message from her breast surgeon’s secretary may have saved Michelle Lensink’s life.

A simple follow-up message from her breast surgeon’s secretary may have saved Michelle Lensink’s life.

Ms Lensink, a longtime Liberal MLC, had been referred for a scan in March but didn’t book herself in until April – after she had received the reminder.

“To be honest, as a working mother with a nine-year-old and two parents with dementia, I do prioritise other people over myself,” she said.

Michelle Lensink has recently beat breast cancer -during a sit-down interview to share her journey and raise awareness for other women. Image/Russell Millard Photography

The scan revealed a concerning diagnosis: in the two years since her last screening, an aggressive six-centimetre cancer had grown and begun to spread.

“I never would have found mine because it was in the glands not in the duct, so I wouldn’t have felt it but it was moving really, really fast,” she told The Advertiser.

“If we would have waited six more months I’d probably be palliative.”

Ms Lensink had been seeing a breast specialist because of previous issues with mastitis.

The 54-year-old underwent a mastectomy with lymph node removal, chemotherapy, and has recently finished her radiotherapy treatment.

She’s now in remission with no detectable cancer, but will be closely monitored for years and take medication to help prevent it from returning.

Ms Lensink kept working for a few months post-diagnosis before she in October stopped attending parliament – around the time she found herself at the centre of a parliamentary drama when colleague Jing Lee reneged on a vote pairing deal ahead of an abortion reform bill.

She has kept up with some correspondence and attended events via Zoom where possible

“The fatigue is hard, particularly when you’re a busy person and you’re used to that lifestyle,” she said.

“I’ve had to work out where to draw the boundaries.”

Another difficult aspect was losing her hair, which was in some ways harder than enduring a mastectomy because of the change to her outward physical appearance.

She said regularly lifting weights at the gym prior to her diagnosis had built her strength and helped her through the months of intense treatment. 

Ms Lensink, who will build back up her workload in the new year, said the experience has been “a wake-up call” – and urged others to keep up with scans and checks.

“I think with any of this stuff, it’s kind of like losing your innocence in some way,” she said.

“I think, on a day-to-day basis, a lot of people don’t really think ‘what’s going to get me?’

“I’ve got two parents who are in their nineties and have survived everything, you just assume that you’ll get whatever years they’ve got plus some.”

Despite the challenges of the last few months, Ms Lensink said she’s been repeatedly reminded of the silver linings.

“I’m lucky they found it, I’m lucky I’m in Australia and I’m lucky that I’ve got the support of family, work, all of that,” she said.