Brisbane mum Jacqui Dewar thanks McGrath Breast Care Nurse Jenny Hanlon for care

A Brisbane mum’s incredible cancer fight — where she was bedridden for weeks, unable to eat and left ‘devastated’ — has thanked one special woman this International Nurses’ Day, saying she would not be alive without her.

A Brisbane mum who had her life turned upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, has spoken out thisInternational Nurses’ Day, saying if it wasn’t for the support of her Breast Care Nurse Jenny she wouldn’t be here today.

In July 2021, Taringa mum of two Jacqui Dewar received the news which ‘turned her world upside down’ and ‘devastated’ her family.

The 58-year-old, who worked as a public servant in health policy, was already well-acquainted with the health system, but never thought that she would experience that system first-hand.

Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram found invasive cancer so deep in the breast tissue that it wouldn’t have been picked up other than by a mammogram. During the following ten months and through complications from her treatment, a series of dangerous infections and extended periods of time in hospital, Mrs Dewar has been supported by McGrath Breast Care Nurse, Jenny Hanlon.

Jacqui Dewar is hospital during her cancer treatment. Photo – contributed.

Prior to this, Mrs Dewar enjoyed a busy active and healthy life, living in Brisbane with her husband, spending time with friends, and keeping in touch with her two adult children who had spread their wings elsewhere.

Mrs Dewar said since starting her treatment, which included a mastectomy and chemotherapy, she was in and out of hospital for weeks at a time after developing a series of serious infections.

“The hospital became my second home,” Mrs Dewar said.

“It was like my world had exploded and been rocked off of it’s axis.

“You think to yourself this couldn’t happen to me. I have no family history of breast cancer and just never saw it coming.

“Nothing could prepare you for how life changing the devastation is.”

She recalled it as an incredibly difficult and frightening time with frequent trips to the emergency department.

“You’re in a very dark and lonely place, dealing with your illness and being in hospital week after week,” Mrs Dewar said.

“But Jenny was always there. She would visit me on the ward and brighten my day. No matter how sad or scared I was, Jenny was there and I believe that her support has helped me to survive.

“I truly don’t think I’d be here today if it wasn’t for her.”

Jenny was Jacqui’s McGrath Breast Care Nurse at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. The pair met after Jacqui’s surgery and at the start of her chemotherapy treatment, and still keep in regular touch.

Jenny supported her through the experience, helping to guide Mrs Dewar through the difficult treatment and extended hospital stays.

Jenny Hanlon is a McGrath Breast Care Nurse at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Photo – contributed.

Mrs Dewar’s husband works shift work so wasn’t always able to visit during hospital visiting hours or be at home when she was receiving chemotherapy treatment, so Jenny made sure to go the extra mile and make sure she felt supported during that time.

Miraculously Mrs Dewar has now finished chemotherapy and has been out of hospital since February.

While her cancer treatment is ongoing and she still has more surgery ahead, she said she is in a good place and said she was eternally grateful for the care of Ms Hanlon.

“It was so scary and being so unwell I didn’t know what was going on a lot of the time,” Mrs Dewar said.

“For weeks at a time I couldn’t even get out of bed or eat.

“She was there to provide emotional support, help co-ordinate my appointments and treatment, and advocated for me.

“While I did have the support of my family and friends – it really is just different having someone in the industry who knows what I’m going through. I could never thank her enough and will always remember what she did for me.

“I don’t think I would have been able to stay positive enough to endure chemo and beat this cancer if I’d had to do it on my own.”

Jacqui Dewar finished her chemotherapy in February and has since left hospital. Photo – contributed.

Jenny Hanlon is a McGrath Breast Care Nurse at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, supporting patients in the North Brisbane area, and has been a registered nurse since 2015.

“Jacqui had a difficult run. No experience of breast cancer is easy, but Jacqui’s was particularly hard,” Jenny said.

“She was very sick and spent large portions of time in hospital, which can be extremely hard for the spirit. I was just glad to be by her side and support her however I could.

“The best part of being a McGrath Breast Care Nurse is being there for your patients when they need you, in whatever form that may take.

“I’m so glad to see that Jacqui is out of hospital and doing well.”

According to data from 2021, Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia and with 57 people diagnosed in Australia each day, and as the rates of diagnosis are only increasing, the ongoing need for breast care nurses is clear.

McGrath Breast Care Nurses offer free physical, psychological and emotional support to over 110,000 families – since 2005. The McGrath Foundation’s mission is to ensure that no one goes through breast cancer without the care of a breast care nurse.