Pride of Australia nominee Suzannah Taylor shows her fighting spirit with cancer work

POA: DESPITE facing every parent’s worst nightmare, Claremont mother-of-two Suzannah Taylor has refused to give in.

Suzannah Taylor with daughters Macy Menzie, 5, and Matilda Menzie, 7. Suzannah has been nominated in the Community Spirit category of the Pride of Australia Awards. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

DESPITE facing every parent’s worst nightmare, Claremont mother-of-two Suzannah Taylor has refused to give in.

In 2012, when her youngest daughter, Macy, was diagnosed with cancer at age three, Ms Taylor turned into a fundraising ­machine to help others in a ­similar situation.

She has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Royal Hobart Hospital’s paediatric ­oncology clinic, Camp Quality, and various other charities.

In September she will embark on her biggest project yet – ­cycling for two weeks through Cambodia and Vietnam for the Live, Laugh, Ride Challenge.

“Camp Quality advertised on Facebook they were looking for people and I thought, ‘That’s me, I’m going to go with that’,” the 33-year-old said.

“But I haven’t ridden a bike since I was a kid.”

Macy suffers from a genetic disorder that affects the nerves and causes brain tumours.

The five-year-old has started a new round of chemotherapy to tackle the ­cancer.

“She had a big cluster of ­tumours to start with and there was a bit of shrinkage,” Ms Taylor said.

“Then she had a bit of a break to see what the tumours would do and what would happen without chemotherapy. They started to grow again and they’ve found a new one.”

Macy will have an MRI on Tuesday to see how things are progressing with the new round of chemo. She will continue treatment while her mum is away.

Ms Taylor has been nominated in the Pride of Australia Medal’s community spirit category.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s worthy of a medal to me, but it’s nice that someone else thinks it is,” she said.

To nominate someone for a Pride of Australia Medal, visit www.themercury.com.au/prideofaustralia. Nominations close 5pm on July 29.