McGrath Foundation and HCF fight cancer with high tea and replica breasts to teach cancer checks

RAMONA Freedman was pregnant with her fourth child when she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 2008. She’s a guest speaker at the McGrath Foundation’s Signature High Tea.

Breast cancer survivor Ramona Freedman with her husband Oliver. She will be speaking at the McGrath Foundation’s Signature High Tea. Picture: Supplied.

FOR eight years, the weight of breast cancer hung heavy over Ramona Freedman’s life.

The North Bondi resident was initially diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in January 2008, at a time in her life when she should have been on top of the world.

She was 33-years-old, had finished her master’s degree in the December of the previous year and was pregnant with her fourth child.

“One minute I was planning this beautiful baby and the next minute I was looking for a wig, had lost the baby and was crying every time I’d see someone with a baby,” Mrs Freedman said.

“It was as though my brain didn’t have time to catch up with the physical trauma.”

Mrs Freedman’s treatment started with a mastectomy and just two weeks later, a forced termination of her pregnancy before four-and-a-half months of chemotherapy and then six weeks of radiation, all while continuing to be a mother to her three children aged six, three and two.

“When I was diagnosed there was obviously tremendous shock and disbelief, but when you have young children you don’t have the opportunity to wallow in that for very long,” she said.

“We were advised to assemble a medical team and I’m not from a medical family — no one has been diagnosed with any form of cancer — so that was very foreign.

“But I wanted to be the ‘A student’ at this.”

Ramona Freedman with her husband Oliver and children Leila, Asher and Samara.

Ramona Freedman says there are times when we need to accept help.

With the help of her oncologist Professor Michael Friedlander and her breast care nurse Alice Gibson, who Mrs Freedman said was her friend, councillor, nurse and pivotal person through the years of treatment.

On Friday, Mrs Freedman will be the key motivational speaker at the McGrath Foundation’s Signature High Tea where she will share her story and encourage women who have been diagnosed with cancer to be okay with asking for help.

“There’s a lot of help out there and it’s important to recognise that there are moments in our lives when we need to stop and say yes to that help,” she said.

“The smartest thing you can do is say yes.”

The McGrath Foundation’s Signature High Tea will be held this Friday, September 30 at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.

Tickets are $95 and can be purchased at mcgrathfoundation.com.au/signaturehightea

LEARN HOW TO SELF-CHECK FOR BREAST CANCER

A SET of replica breasts will be on hand at the HCF Bondi Junction branch from Saturday for women to learn how to self-check for breast cancer.

The breasts will be in store until Tuesday after HCF research revealed just one in four women checked their breasts monthly and 44 per cent had visited a doctor for a breast check.

While 92 per cent of women understand the importance of regular breast checks, almost 50 per cent of women don’t know what they’re looking or feeling for and the majority are using self-taught examination methods.

In order to help combat breast cancer, HCF will host a hands on learning station with the replica breasts, ranging from healthy to those with signs of breast cancer that should be flagged with your doctor.

The HCF Hands On Experience will be available from 9am to 4.45pm from October 1 to October 4.

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