Mackay sewing YouTuber Evelyn Wood’s battle with breast cancer

A talented Queensland seamstress who has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on YouTube has revealed why she was sobbing in the doctor’s office as her world ‘caved in’.

Evelyn Wood's GoFundMe has raised more than $65,000 to help with her cancer journey.

It was an early day in February when the world “caved in” and became a battle for survival for a Mackay region seamstress.

Evelyn Wood, whose vintage dressmaking and modern sewing social media account has hundreds of thousands of followers, found a lump in her breast while showering.

On February 3, she was diagnosed with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, an aggressive and invasive variant of the disease.

Ms Wood knew the importance of getting her lump checked after her grandmother died from breast cancer.

Ms Wood on her GoFundMe page explained she knew had to get the small lump in her left breast checked by a GP, with her grandmother dying from the disease when she was a teenager.

“I was feeling trepidation about (the GP appointment), but I honestly didn’t really believe it would be anything serious – I was too young and I’ve never had health issues before.

“Just after discovering the lump, a monsoonal storm began and landslides blocked the only road up the (Eungella) Range – the road was closed for two weeks, we were isolated and so I had to reschedule my appointment.”

As soon as the road reopened, Ms Wood visited her GP and was referred for a mammogram, ultrasound and a biopsy.

Those biopsy results her world turned upside town.

“I was horrified,” she said.

“(The doctor) told me this type was called Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and it’s the “bad one”.

“The world closed in around me.

“Although I was in shock and utter disbelief, I couldn’t stop sobbing as it was explained.

“TNBC is very aggressive, difficult to treat, has a high recurrence rate, and tends to spread (metastasis) quickly to lymph nodes, lungs, heart, and brain.”

Ms Woods learned she might get 12 months to live without treatment.

On March 27, she began her GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of relocating, the radiation clinic, and necessary therapies.

She explained she had to move from her little cottage in the Clarke Ranges to Mackay to be closer to her treatment.

She added while Mackay’s hospital had “great” oncology and surgery units, it did not have a Radiation Therapy unit.

Evelyn Wood has a following of thousands on social media and YouTube where she shares tutorials on sewing.

”The nearest hospital with this is a further 400km away,” Ms Woods said.

“A private cancer centre in town does perform radiotherapy, but it must be paid for upfront.

“After radiation and ongoing relocation costs, any surplus money would go towards complementary therapies (oncology massage, acupuncture, etc.), a comfortable wig, and chemotherapy-suitable cosmetics.

“Most people know my passion for sewing, and if it were possible, I would also set up a workable sewing space for my long-term recovery where I love to be, in my country home.”

Thankfully Ms Wood detected her cancer early with a full-body CT scan showing the disease had not spread to any other organs.

So far Ms Wood has raised $65,592 through her GoFundMe in just three weeks.

Ms Wood's GoFundMe has raised more than $65,000 to help with her cancer journey.

“I’ve got so much more life to live,” she said.

“I’m certainly not ready to leave the world yet.

There’s a good chance I can win this fight and I’ll do whatever it takes.

“The love and support I’ve received so far is honestly, overwhelming.

“My wholehearted thanks to everyone who is standing behind me in this battle.

“I know life is expensive for us all, so if you cannot afford to give, another way to offer your support is by sharing my fundraiser to help get the word out.”

To donate to Ms Wood’s GoFundMe, visit her campaign page.