Toowoomba Relay for Life fundraisers Jeni Bonell and Monique Pfingst share cancer stories

Imagine being told you have cancer, not once, but twice. Sadly, this is the reality for many across the region. Ahead of this weekend’s Relay for Life, two mums have shared their stories of survival here.

More than 20 teams will raise funds, celebrate and remember those who have battled cancer today in a global movement.

The Toowoomba Relay for Life will run from 12pm at the Toowoomba Showgrounds in order to raise awareness and vital funds in the fight against cancer, of which they have already raised more than $32,000.

For more than eight hours, team members will take it in shifts to walk around the designated track, while dressed in this year’s theme of 80s – Let’s Get Physical.

The event will begin with a lap of all participants, and a separate lap for survivors and carers.

The Chronicle spoke with two survivors who have vowed to raise funds to beat the cruel disease that impacted themselves and their families.

Here are their stories.

Jeni Bonell

Raising 16 children was always a journey within itself, but when Jeni Bonell was diagnosed with cancer, her whole world flipped.

A chronic cough led the mum to seek answers, and in 2017, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Supplied image of Jeni and Ray Bonell with their sixteen children, nine of who still live at the family home.

“It was the first time anyone had said the words cancer to me. It was quite shocking to face that,” she said.

After battling her first round of cancer with the unwavering support of her family, her world was rocked once more when a routine check-up on the Thyroid cancer led to a devastating discovery.

“I didn’t have any symptoms … it was pure luck,” Mrs Bonell said.

In 2021, Mrs Bonell was diagnosed with renal cancer.

“There were a lot of tears,” she said.

“I had open surgery to remove the tumour, and I have a 20cm scar to prove I fought well to get through it.

Jeni Bonell with her daughters (from left) Eve, Rachel and Katelyn Bonell during the Relay for Life 2021 at Frogs Hollow Queens Park, Saturday, October 23, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“It was a very long recovery afterwards, but you have to stay as positive as you can through it.”

Despite battling cancer twice, Mrs Bonell said members of the public have criticised her saying she does not have the right to say she is a cancer survivor, “because it wasn’t terminal”.

“Every cancer has the potential to end someone’s life if found at the wrong time or too late,” she said.

“I see what cancer does to a person fighting it and I see what it does to their families and the impact it has to everyone.

“I believe if we got enough funds and awareness about it, we can work towards a cancer-free world. Early detection is key to saving lives.”

Mrs Bonell’s Relay for Life team, The Bonny Bunch, has raised more than $3000 for cancer research.

Monique Pfingst

The heartbreak of witnessing a parent battle and succumb to a cancer diagnosis was enough to motivate a daughter to establish a special fundraising team.

Sons and Daughters Relay for Life team is in its ninth year, and consists of people who have lost one or both parents to cancer.

This year, team founder Monique Pfingst was named the Face of the Relay, and said she knew first hand how a family can be impacted by a cancer diagnosis, with not one, but three members impacted in the last 11 years.

“We lost my dad to lung cancer in 2022 … unfortunately for me, I ended up with a level 3 melanoma,” she said.

“I came home to nurse my dad, and at the time had gone for a skin check. My mum ended up nursing two of us instead of one.”

This year, Mrs Pfingst’s family also lost a loved one to brain cancer.

“Instead of dying from old age at almost 102, my grandmother died from brain cancer, which was really cruel.

“It could have been a peaceful death, but then it wasn’t.”

Since her own diagnosis, Mrs Pfingst has had a second melanoma removed, this time a level 1, and is now back to yearly skin checks.

Anthony Pfingst, Tracy Back, Monique Pfingst, Jayne Duncan, Grace Pfingst, Tasha Duncan. Brendon McIntosh Relay for Life at Queens park. May 2019

“It’s made me cautious for my own children. They’re the ones with sunscreen on and wearing the rashies,” she said.

Since the group’s creation, Mrs Pfingst estimated more than $25,000 had been raised.

This year, they have raised more than $2100.

“We’ve all seen first hand how cruel cancer is, and we want to support families who are going through what we’ve gone through,” she said.

“I just hope the message gets out there about protecting ourselves, and that we help fight this really cruel disease.”

To donate to relay for life, visit the fundraiser’s website.