Tess’s Story

Tess found a lump whilst stretching in bed one morning. After a visit to her local GP in Gundagai, Tess travelled 80kms to Wagga from her hometown of Gundagai for tests and was advised that she had breast cancer 10 days later. 

When Tess met with her surgeon, they discussed what could be a simple lumpectomy but when the surgeon explained about the chance of recurrence, Tess opted for a double mastectomy. She also had 17 lymph nodes removed, in which cancer was found in one of them. This was followed by 30 rounds of radiation from late January to early March – Tess got through each of these sessions by knowing that each session went for the length of 2 pop songs. Whilst the timing of checking in and having the radiation could take 15 mins, the whole process was made longer when you add in the 160km round trip required to get to treatment and home again. 

Since breast cancer is hormone driven, there was some concern about an ovarian cyst that was discovered. So Tess had surgery in July to remove the cyst, as well as her ovaries and fallopian tubes.  

Tess is now taking a hormone blocker, has lymphedema in her right arm and chest wall – which is treated with a pressure sleeve, and a chest band to use whilst sleeping. 

Assisted by Can Assist with many fuel vouchers, community car rides, assistance with the costs of a lymphedema breast band, and the hormone blocker medication, Tess is very “grateful to Can Assist as at the time fuel was just going up – it was a great strain”. Tess also appreciated the practical assistance she received from Can Assist “I was desperate for advice… of what to expect”, and the emotional support. It “seems every step of the way, whenever it got scary, I was offered hope”. 

“Can Assist, I’m so glad that you are here. Thank you Can Asist. Thank you to all of the donors. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”