Woman's journey to cancer recovery launched on high seas

A 59-year-old woman has taken to the seas to 'get back to life' after battling with a brain tumour and ovarian cancer.

Maxine Cowie, 59, is sailing from Cooktown to Coffs Harbour after undertaking brain surgery and overcoming ovarian cancer. Picture: Patrick Woods

OVARIAN cancer and brain surgery was not enough to stop a 59-year-old from sailing down Australia's coast.

Maxine Cowie was seriously ill for two years, having undergone brain surgery for a tumour before being diagnosed six months later with ovarian cancer.

When Ms Cowie finished chemotherapy in January, she needed to "get back to life".

She decided to sail from Cooktown to her new home in Coffs Harbour on an old 22-foot (6.7m) yacht.

With the help of the community she completely refitted her vessel and set her mind to the challenge.

EPIC TRIP: Maxine Cowie, 59, is sailing from Cooktown to Coffs Harbour after undergoing brain surgery and overcoming ovarian cancer. Picture: Patrick Woods

"It's got me back into life," she said. "I'm fit, enthusiastic, my mind is not 100 per cent but it's made me use it again in new and different ways to sharpen me up a little bit.

"I really struggled when diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) but once I got that sorted, there was no holding me back."

With just her and one other crew member Ms Cowie said the "life-saving trip" had given her hope for life again.

The pair left in December and battled through flooded rivers and the tail end of two cyclones before they landed at the Sunshine Coast, where she stayed throughout chemotherapy.

They have been meeting friends while waiting for rough weather to subside and hope to arrive in Coffs Harbour in the next nine days.

"I've wanted to do this my whole life and now I am," Ms Cowie said.

Originally published as Woman's journey to cancer recovery launched on high seas