It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Mackay Woman Shares Story Of Hope Following Early Detection

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remind women of the importance of early detection. For Mackay resident Wendy Hastie, 71, a routine breast screen during her retirement travels proved lifesaving.

Wendy had been enjoying her retirement in 2022 with her husband Les when her BreastScreen reminder letter arrived while they were in Perth.

“My daughter in Mackay called and said my letter from BreastScreen had arrived in the mail. I thought about waiting until we were back in Mackay to have the mammogram but decided to make an appointment in Perth with some friends,” Wendy said.

“We thought we’d make a day of it, you know have our mammograms and then go out for lunch, so that’s what we did.”

While her friends received the all-clear, Wendy was asked to return for another mammogram.

“This time it was at a larger clinic where I had an intravenous dye put through me and then as soon as I had that I went straight on the table for a biopsy on my breast. They did another mammogram there to pinpoint the area,” she said.

“We went for my results the next day and was told it was cancer. The specialist said it was a DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), which is not an aggressive cancer but still, I could have fallen off my chair with the news.”

Wendy underwent a six-hour right breast mastectomy two months later. The procedure included removal of her breast, muscle taken from her back, and an expander for later reconstructive surgery.

“I was fortunate to not need chemo or radiation, just the mastectomy. Six months later I underwent breast reconstruction surgery,” she said.

“I was coping pretty well the whole time. I’m a matter-of-fact person and don’t dwell on things. Still, it was definitely a very surreal time being diagnosed and going through surgery. But I wasn’t scared and didn’t panic, that doesn’t help anything does it.”

While recovering, Wendy faced more challenges as her husband Les was diagnosed with stage four kidney failure and later pancreatic cancer.

“There wasn’t much they could do because of his stage four kidney failure. So we just decided to do palliative care and enjoy what time we had left together,” Wendy said.

Despite losing her husband earlier this year, Wendy continues to live life fully, catching up with friends, doing water aerobics, working a couple of days a week, and planning a Mediterranean cruise next year.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Wendy hopes her story inspires women to prioritise screening.

“Make sure you have your check-ups every two years, check your breast yourself and make use of the services available,” she said.

“Looking back, I feel so grateful for the service and care. If I had waited until we had returned from travelling to book my mammogram, things could have been very different.”

With one in seven women diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, routine breast screening remains the best way to detect breast cancer early. BreastScreen provides free screening for women aged 40 and over who haven’t noticed changes in their breasts. Appointments can be booked at units or mobile services across Australia.

Call 13 20 50 or visit www.breastscreen.qld.gov.au to make an appointment.

‍