Tributes for young mum Amber Whalan who fought to share her cancer story until the end
Tributes have flowed for Melbourne mum of three Amber Whalan — who died aged just 38 on Monday from breast cancer, after years of sharing her story to raise awareness and funds for the disease.
A beloved mother who tirelessly fought for her fellow breast cancer patients has been remembered for her incredible generosity and strength.
Melbourne’s Amber Whalan died aged 38 on Monday from metastatic breast cancer, after years of bravely sharing her story to raise awareness and funds for her illness.
The mother of three had volunteered as an ambassador for several events and charities since her first diagnosis in 2015, including just two months ago for the AFL’s Pink Lady Match.
She and her three children Ollie, 14, Hazel, 13 and Chase 10, teamed up with her beloved Melbourne Football Club and player Tom McDonald to raise funds for Breast Cancer Network Australia in August 2025.
Emily Vickers-Willis told this masthead her older sister always went “above and beyond for everyone else despite having her own struggles” and was an “absolute fighter”.
“She fought right up to the very end,” she said.
“Despite her having stage 4 cancer she continued to do fundraisers, raising more money for all the charities that have helped her even though she was in a really bad place.
“She’s just so generous and so strong to be able to do that while she’s in so much pain.”
She said Amber had encouraged her to take part in an event for a new BCNA campaign, held in Sydney just last week, and in her final days took joy in watching the videos she had filmed.
“There was a bunch of ladies and we were all dressed in pink swimsuits and we all ran into the ocean together.
“It was pretty powerful that morning.
“BCNA has been a huge support for Amber over the years … so to go and show my support was really nice.
“I slept in hospital with her on the last night and I was playing videos to her from the BCNA event.
“So it was really nice to be able to tell her that I got involved with that and was there for her at that time.”
The campaign even featured some of Ms Whalan’s loved ones, who she had encouraged to take part, including her close friend Kristen Gibson.
The campaign, released just before Ms Whalan’s death, encourages women to do regular self-checks of their breasts so they can pick up on any changes earlier.
Ms Gibson, who spoke about their friendship in a video from the campaign’s shoot, said Amber was an “amazing mum” and she felt honoured to be asked to take part.
BCNA chief executive Kirsten Pilatti paid tribute to Ms Whalan’s advocacy on Friday, and said her work helped other people living with metastatic or incurable breast cancer “be seen”.
“It really does help them connect and know that there’s someone else on their side,” she said.
“People like Amber use their experience to shine a light in a dark place, which she definitely did for us in terms of sharing her story about the reality of living with metastatic disease.”
She said her friends had put away their fears and helped them develop an “educational campaign in the name of Amber” so that more people can be diagnosed earlier, which saves lives.
“She inspired them to do that,” she said.
“Amber and her friends have played a really critical role in our new ‘know yourself, feel yourself’ campaign and it will make a really big, big difference to young women in particular.
“We’re really proud that we can do something and that Amber got to see it before she died. “It’s really important for us.”
She said Amber’s death was a reminder that breast cancer — despite some misconceptions in the community — continued to take hundreds of lives.
“There’s so many people … that think it’s not that big of a deal,” she said.
“People will say that you’re lucky you got breast cancer,: she said.
“Nine families today are saying goodbye. Nine families tomorrow will say goodbye.
“We still have a really long way to go.”
Ms Whalan described her experience with breast cancer in her own words in a letter in August, which she shared with the Herald Sun at the time to promote the Pink Lady Match.
In the letter, written to Melbourne’s Tom McDonald, she described her three “beautiful” children and the importance of raising awareness, thanking McDonald for wearing her name on his warm-up jumper for the match.
“This match, this moment, and your gesture of carrying my name means more than I can fully express,” she wrote in her letter.
“You’re carrying my strength. My story. The story of a mum who refuses to give up.”
Mordialloc Braeside Junior Football Club, where one of Ms Whalan’s children plays, also shared a tribute online and paid credit to both her advocacy work and “unwavering support” for her children.
The club said she was a “beloved member” of the community who “courageously fought Metastatic Breast Cancer with extraordinary strength and grace” and dedicated “her time and heart to raising awareness and inspiring others through her story”.
“Whether it was cheering from the sidelines at Mordi-Brae or proudly supporting her beloved Melbourne Demons, Amber’s warmth, positivity, and spirit were infectious,” the club said.
“Amber’s impact will live on through the players she cheered for, the friendships she made, and the example she set for us all.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by breast cancer or cares for someone with a diagnosis, support is available. Contact the BCNA Helpline on 1800 500 258 or go to bcna.org.au
Originally published as Tributes for young mum Amber Whalan who fought to share her cancer story until the end
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