Jenny, Australia
World Cancer Day Story 4th February 2025
Jenny Chaves
Jenny’s Story - Road to Resilience
You never forget that phone call that changes your life forever!
I remember clearly that Friday morning July 2022 - a planned day off with my husband Gary for a catch up with my sisters and brothers and partners for a family brunch. Following a routine GP appointment and scan re some non specific symptoms ( tummy pain , back pain, night sweats) my Dr called and I recall saying - is this one of those calls ? And of course it was .
Normally you want to be sure about these things before telling those close to you - but timing meant that I was able to talk to my family over our brunch date. And the emotions - disbelief , shock, sadness and surely ‘this happens to other people?” And finally hope that it’s not cancer , its early stage or its not going to be that bad !
In his wisdom my GP had already connected with my now oncologist at Greenslopes hospital and they were able to see me that day. And so began my cancer journey.
Initially things were not looking too bad - my blood work and scans seemed to indicate this and hopefully my treatment plan may not be too aggressive. However following further tests and the biopsy and ongoing consultations with my oncologist and oncology gyno surgeon things changed . Initially I was diagnosed with stage 3B Peritoneal cancer and my treatment regime would be chemo , surgery and then chemo again the following year. Following my surgery they discovered that in fact I had Fallopian tube cancer ( stage 3C) . The reality is that with my condition I was treated as ovarian cancer. Due to the fact that early indicators seemed not so bad - I recall both my specialists calling me 1. A Mystery and 2. A Conundrum . So of course I ran with that and decided Wow - nothing like being a mysterious conundrum !
The treatment journey is certainly amazing it’s not just the actual chemo or surgery it includes all the prep, procedures and extras before, during and after . And what gets you through when you wonder how something that seems to impact your body so much( in my case chemo and surgery )can actually save your life? Well firstly understanding and awareness - being given info and education on what’s coming is critical , then having a cancer centre ( Cyril Gilbert Cancer Centre ) that really supports the patient. The nurses and staff were all wonderful as were my Drs - and the atmosphere was very comforting and caring and even funny at times - yes humour gets you through.
For me getting through meant deciding to take each day as it came - given the fact that for short bursts you might be bouncing around with energy ( for me this often happened at 1 am in the morning ) from the drugs and then your body goes into a slump almost like you can’t even move for the remainder of the week till you just come good and back to chemo again!
- Not to mention the side effects you have from chemo-, fatigue ,neuropathy , joint and nerve pain , the burning skin and soft tissue ( mine was like 3rd degree burns ) of course the loss of hair ( which I didn’t actually mind) and more. Some of these effects and new issues continue to be my regular companions in life even when formal treatment ended.
Getting through meant deciding that every day I would do at least one task no matter how small just to feel I was still able to do things . I also wrote a regular update with photos which I sent to work and my husband would send to Friends and family.
But most of all - the kindness and care of others helps you - apart from the health professionals supporting you my husband and family who were there all the time including caring for me at home with regular chats, prayers and check-ins , and the friends who unexpectedly dropped in with a regular batch of home cooked meals.
I remember having some scans and on the wall of the Xray clinic was the quote -
“In a World where you can be anything - Be Kind” - I held on to this throughout my journey.
I also started a post cancer rehab exercise program through my hospital following treatment - and you finally think it’s great to face that challenge and get your body moving again . Feeling better I joined our Cancer Wellness program which truly has been a positive way of connecting with those who really understand what you are going through, to socialise , to learn and gain information and to just have fun and laughs .
I also acknowledge that there are those who are challenged by my cancer - mainly because of their own inability to understand , walk in my shoes and recognise my ongoing recovery , strength and resilience.
Then one day ( in early 2024) I decided to swim ( of course after getting the go ahead from my oncologist that I was ok to swim in a public pool ) . I made friends with other likeminded people and now we regularly get-together to swim with the attitude that no matter how crappy we feel or what negativity surrounds us - we keep going or at least connect with each other. On many occasions the only time I felt “normal “ was when I was in the water !
My post cancer goal was to swim in the sea and feel completely free - It was great to do this with my husband when we travelled up north and were able to enjoy a reef adventure actually swimming in the most beautiful sea - I was so grateful to be witness to our amazing natural world.
It is invaluable to keep yourself engaged in life no matter what you do !
Well Life certainly gives you some bumps on the road - and as I was going through my treatment my eldest sister Rosemarie was diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian cancer - Now we do say - Is this a Joke ! Then the following year my second eldest sister Suzanne got Breast cancer again ( early stage ) however both my sisters had already overcome breast cancer together in 2019. By this time I was definitely not laughing . My Genetics Dr and my Genetics tests discovered that all 3 of us had a variant gene - named an insignificant variant gene - Not very insignificant in our eyes! As a result I now have been prescribed what’s called a Parb Inhibitor drug - Olaparib - with the hope that this may just prevent recurrence or further cancer developing.
While we were all considered in remission - in 2024 Rosemarie sadly was diagnosed with Brain cancer. She has battled this and has been able to show her resilience and at this stage is progressing as well as can be expected. I often say Resilience is our friend - after all this you have to definitely rethink your priorities in life and your belief in the ability to bounce back and keep going.
Previously I had been a workaholic- having cancer changes this and your perspective on life re what is truly important . My husband (who himself had overcome cancer over 20 years ago) said to me your new job is to get well- and I accepted that this was my new focus and reality.
I finish with a quote my father-in-law Col reminded me of recently - ( Col had a freak garden accident a few years ago - resulting in his becoming a paraplegic and is someone who reflects the ability to be resilient each day) .
Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a gift
That’s why it’s called the Present !