Brisbane mum, Simeone Mitchell, dealt two terrifying health conditions after death of her son

Deep in her grief following the death of her young son, this Brisbane mother never saw coming the devastating diagnosis that would force her to muster all her strength to fight.

Brisbane mum, Simeone Mitchell, dealt two terrifying health conditions after death of her son. Source: Mater Hospital team.

A Brisbane mum still coming to terms with the suicide death of her son has been dealt another horrible blow in the form of a rare breast cancer.

Carina mum, Simeone Mitchell, was handed the gut-wrenching news in September last year after noticing a change in her breasts.

“I noticed that my nipple shape was different and that one side of my chest wasn’t the same as the other,” Mrs Mitchell said.

“I didn’t think anything of it.

“I had done my checks, I was fit, healthy.

“I went to get my normal check and they said I needed to get an ultrasound.

“Within 24 hours the GP rang me and said that I had a malignant cancer.”

Brisbane mum, Simeone Mitchell, dealt two terrifying health conditions after death of her son. Picture: Mater Hospital team.

Mrs Mitchell said that while the diagnosis was scary it was nothing compared to the devastation she had felt last year when her 21-year-old son took his own life.

“My son, Adam, died from suicide in August 2020,” Mrs Mitchell said.

“He had some mental health issues that we had be dealing with, but it was too much for him.”

Simeone Mitchell’s son, Adam, pictured with sister Erin, died in August 2020. Picture: Supplied.

After Adam’s death, Mrs Mitchell found distraction in being active.

“After Adam died I joined a triathlon club,” she said.

“We had always done a lot of hiking and a lot of sport, we had always been very active as a family, but I had never done a triathlon as such.

“It was such a good way to focus, when you’re doing the event and the training you don't even think about anything else, you don’t think about Adam dying.”

Brisbane mum, Simeone Mitchell, dealt two terrifying health conditions after death of her son. Picture: Mater Hospital team.

When Mrs Mitchell was delivered the news of her breast cancer diagnosis she knew she had to press on.

“In perspective of what had already happened that year, the breast cancer diagnosis was not as bad,” she said.

Shortly before her breast cancer diagnosis, Mrs Mitchell was also diagnosed with epilepsy.

“I just thought oh well right what could I do, I just had to take each step as it came.”

She said the chemotherapy treatments had been difficult on her body and mind.

“Within two weeks of having the diagnosis I couldn't do anything, it was all over,” Mrs Mitchell said.

“It’s now been 13 months of treatment and it’s just awful.

“You’re just not able to process things, you can’t be bothered to do anything, it’s just total exhaustion.

“I’ve had to stop working as a registered nurse and midwife.

“My whole life changed at that point.

“It just all became about having treatments and seeing doctors.”

With the help of Mater Private Hospital Mrs Mitchell has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy. Picture: Mater Hospital team.

The brave mum said her support system was her rock in such trying times.

“I have a husband and he’s been really good and Erin, my daughter, she’s fabulous.

Simeone Mitchell with her husband and daughter, Erin. Picture: Mater Hospital team.

“My triathlon team have been amazing, they have been a huge support.

“The group of girls that I worked with, every week someone would send me a meal.

“There’s no way I could have done it without all of them.”

Mrs Mitchell said breast cancer was a far more visible condition than many mental health concerns.

“I looked sick, I lost my hair, my eyebrows, my breasts,” she said.

“People could physically see that I wasn't well, so they could help me, that’s where I was lucky.

“But with mental health it is so much harder to find and treat.”

Brisbane mum, Simeone Mitchell, dealt two terrifying health conditions after death of her son. Picture: Mater Hospital team.

She has now completed her ninth round of chemo, with still five more left.

“I’ve had both my breasts removed now,” she said.

“I’ve still got a long way to go.”

Mrs Mitchell said she still has a long way to go on her journey to recovery. Picture: Mater Hospital team.

Mrs Mitchell has shared her story as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month — to give hope to other health-conscious women fighting the disease

Mrs Mitchell says the biggest advice she can give any woman is to get checked by a GP regularly.

“The biggest thing is to be aware of your body, if you think something changes or you think something looks odd, go get it checked,” she said.

“Had I not known and been checking my body I could have left it for many more months.

“If you notice something that isn’t normal don’t think it will be all right.

“Just get help and don’t leave it.”