Thanks to you, people like Michelle continue to enjoy their adventures in life.

When she was only 24, Michelle was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and given just a 15% chance of survival. Coming to terms with her diagnosis, Michelle says that she really struggled to maintain relationships with the people around her, who were struggling to understand what she was going through.

She survived, but, having defied the odds once, Michelle was then diagnosed with breast cancer thirty years later. This time, Michelle accessed Cancer Council’s support services—one of the many services your support provides.

“I really needed to talk with someone and the breast care nurses recommended Cancer Council’s Cancer Connect program.”

“The program was exceptional. They matched me up with another woman and it was great to talk to someone who had ‘been there’. Remarkably I found out that there is another person in the world who has had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, breast cancer and a mastectomy!”

Michelle is now retired and spends her time travelling Australia with her husband John, capturing these precious moments through photography. She is grateful for every second she gets to spend with him after cancer threatened to take her life not just once, but twice.

“We are both very appreciative of all the Cancer Council has done for our family which is why we will continue to support in any way we can,” she says. 

Because of you, we can continue to fund life-saving research, and provide vital services for those who need them most.