The heroes in pink

The McGrath Foundation is currently holding their annual Pink Test, and Breast Care Nurses like Maree Wylie are calling to people to donate to the cause

PINK POWER: Maree Wylie is one of 120 McGrath Breast Care Nurses in Australia. Picture: Meg Gannon

FOR about 18,000 Australians in 2018, the challenges and hardships of breast cancer became a harsh reality. But McGrath Foundation Breast Care Nurses, like Maree Wylie, are doing their best to make that process just a little bit easier.

Ms Wylie is a Dalby local, and has lived in the area for 30 years. She cites her appreciation and care for her community as the reason for stepping into her role.

"I grew up in the community and am passionate about the health of our community,” Ms Wylie said.

Ms Wylie stepped into her role as a McGrath Breast Care Nurse in 2011, after working as a nurse in Dalby Hospital. She is one of 120 McGrath Breast Care Nurses in Australia, who are mostly based in regional and rural areas.

"My main role is psycho-social support, so looking after clients and their families,” Ms Wylie said.

"Ensuring that they've got the right assistance, that they've been helped with any paperwork that needs to be filled out, and to just be there as a listening ear for whatever their problems might be.”

Ms Wylie says that her job is most rewarding when she sees her patients overcome their challenges.

"Being able to advocate for my patients and to empower them to move on through their breast cancer experience and see them come out the other side a stronger person for the difficulties that they've been through,” Ms Wylie said about the rewarding aspects of her role.

Her job becomes difficult when her patients lose their battle with breast cancer.

"90 per cent of Australians will live longer than 5 years with a breast cancer diagnosis however unfortunately we do lose a small percentage of our patients who do succumb to the disease process,” Ms Wylie said.

"You've got to give a part of yourself to provide to them. You do have a very close network with those patients.”

The McGrath Foundation are celebrating their 14th year in 2019, and are currently hosting their annual Pink Test to raise much needed funds for the Foundation.

Ms Wylie finds reassurance in the fact that the money generated from fundraising activities goes straight towards funding the pivotal services necessary to support these Nurses.

"It's reassuring to know that people who do support the fundraising for the Pink test does actually go back to pay for Breast Care Nurses,” Ms Wylie said.

"No money is wasted in management, it really is very streamlined and looks after looking after the nurses and making sure there's enough Breast Care Nurses to go around in Australia.”

Ms Wylie works two days a week as a McGrath Breast Care Nurse, and three days a week as Palliative Care coordinator for Dalby Community Health.

Thanks to the McGrath Foundation, Breast Care Nurses like Maree are able to continue the incredible work they are doing to empower Australians through their breast cancer experience.

"Glenn and the Foundation have been able to service all of Australia and are closing the gaps so that every patient does have a Breast Care Nurse no matter how remote they are,” Ms Wylie said.

Originally published as The heroes in pink