Breast cancer survivor Natasha Bamberry shares cancer journey
After being diagnosed at 26-years-old with breast cancer, this Toowoomba woman has turned her story of survival into advocacy. Read how it is now inspiring others:
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When her 45-year-old aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer, alarm bells cautioned Natasha Bamberry, and she began self-checking for breast cancer.
“Call me paranoid, but because of that, it saved my life,” Ms Bamberry said.
Two years ago, while she was living in Stanthorpe, a sore muscle after a gym workout turned into something much more sinister, and thanks to her self-check and resolve, she followed it up.
“It can happen to anyone,” she said.
Because she was only 26, she said she “didn’t take no for an answer” from a GP and was given a referral for a scan and a mammogram.
She was then diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive and rare cancer which makes up about 15 per cent of all breast cancer cases.
After that, it was biopsy after biopsy, scans, surgery and more than six months of chemotherapy until her final treatment ended in October last year.
“I now just have regular check-ups with my specialist every three and six months because I am still high risk due to the type of breast cancer I had,” Ms Bamberry said.
The now 28-year-old shared her story with 140 guests at the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation Pink High Tea on Saturday, hoping it will help raise much-needed awareness about breast cancer.
The funds raised from the event are set to go towards a regional cancer centre – something Ms Bamberry, with her lived experience, feels very passionate about.
“I’ve been to every hospital in Toowoomba, I’ve been to almost every X-ray place in Toowoomba,” she said.
During her treatment she vividly recalls the four-hour round trip commute from Stanthorpe.
“When I was receiving my chemo, it was six hours each time, and often I couldn’t drive myself because I was so unwell,” she said.
“I had to rely on family and friends, and so having a regional cancer centre where you have your scans, see your doctor, see a physio, or whatever it is you need in one place is going to be extremely helpful.”
Ms Bamberry now lives in Toowoomba and works at the Hospital Foundation and is looking forward to bringing the much-needed cancer centre to the region.
The Toowoomba Hospital Foundation is working on raising $10 million, to be matched by Darling Downs Health to provide a fit-for-purpose $20 million regional cancer centre co-located at Baillie Henderson Hospital with the new Toowoomba Hospital.
See all the photos from the Foundation’s annual Pink High Tea.
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