Deb West: East Gippsland woman diagnosed with stage four breast cancer

An East Gippsland cafe owner diagnosed with stage four breast cancer has unwittingly inspired a community to rally behind her remarkable fight to live.

An East Gippsland cafe owner is refusing to give up her battle with stage four breast cancer as her community rallies behind her fight to survive.

Deb West, 52 found a lump “the size of a golf ball” in September last year after speaking to her mother in law, also battling cancer.

She woke her husband, Ben, in the middle of the night and asked him to feel it.

“It wasn’t just a little lump, it was the size of a golf ball,” Ben said.

Within two months, the cancer had doubled in size from three centimetres to six.

In November Deb received her first round of chemotherapy for the aggressive stage four cancer but doctors worried it had already spread to her bones.

“It was scary,” Deb said.

“It took me quite a few weeks to realise it was actually happening, even now I think ‘is this our real life now?’

The Wests travel more than three hours to Melbourne for weekly treatments.

Ben said he has been forced to drop his wife “at the door”; unable to hold her hand through her therapy, because of Covid-19.

“The hardest thing is sitting there on your own, whether you're having a good day or a bad day,” Deb said.

Deb and Ben West.

Deb was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in October.

Doctors say Deb’s best chance at survival is an immunotherapy treatment, but it’s not on the PBS and is “costly”.

To support Deb, her family started a GoFundMe page which has now raised more than $30,000 with donations coming in droves from her local community.

Ben said he felt “cheeky” asking for money, but it had made Deb “feel loved”.

Deb is approaching her thirteenth week of chemotherapy but still works at their cafe in Eastwood whenever she has the energy.

“I’m a control freak and I like things done my way, it’s frustrating when things change,” she said.

“I’ve learnt I have to let things go, some days are good but others are tough.”

Ben said watching his wife fight the battle of her life is inspirational and he knows if the tables were turned he “wouldn’t have dealt with it the way she has”.

“She amazes me everyday,” Ben said.

The couple opened Aroma at Eastwood three years ago then were asked to open another venue in Metung just before the bushfires and Covid hit.

Deb and Ben opened Aroma Metung in July 2020.

Ben said they still have reasons to “smile”.

Since Deb’s treatment began they have welcomed another grandchild, Aroma was named the best business of the year and they will celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary later this month.

“Another grandchild born just before new years so that brought a smile to our faces and gave us a reason to celebrate,” Ben said.

“We’ve been very fortunate with a lot of things and not so with others.”