‘Life as a patient’: Qld oncology worker recently diagnosed with cancer speaks out

A Queensland oncology worker has spoken out about her recent cancer diagnosis.

Tracy Bringolf of Mountain Creek who was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2021. Picture: Lachie Millard

A Queensland oncology worker, who has spent nearly a decade with cancer patients, has spoken out about her recent diagnosis.

Tracy Bringolf was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2021 and underwent surgery to have the cancer removed in mid-December last year.

Ms Bringolf took part in radiation treatment every day for four weeks post-surgery and suffered through severe exhaustion and discomfort.

She said it was a surprise when she found the lump as she had no family history of breast cancer.

Ms Bringolf has worked in oncology for eight years but said her recent diagnosis has given her a new understanding of life as a patient.

“My knowledge of breast cancer helped me to remain positive, I can imagine it is more daunting for people who don’t work in the industry and don’t know the jargon,” she said.

Ms Bringolf encouraged other women to get themselves regularly checked for breast cancer.

“As a breast cancer survivor, I cannot stress enough the importance and value of funding breast cancer research,” she said.

Since 1994, The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) has provided around $200 million of funding to nearly 600 research projects, and in that time, death rates from breast cancer in Australia have reduced by 43 per cent.