Not many people can say breast cancer saved their life, but for Bundaberg resident Wendy Pastourel, that is exactly what happened.
Mother of three, grandmother of six, and devoted wife to husband Russ, Wendy was in remission after her first instance of breast cancer when her oncologist called her in.
Little did she know, attending that appointment would save her from a flash flood.
“I was going for one of my major screenings which was booked down in Brisbane on Australia Day, when we normally would have hosted a huge camp at our property [inland from Bundaberg],” Wendy recalls.
“At 2am that morning, a 20-foot-high wall of water with logs and everything came raging through and knocked down everything in its path.
“We would have been monitoring it [if we had been there], but we wouldn’t have realised the extent of what was to come. Having that appointment probably saved our lives and those of quite a few of our friends who would have been there too.”
While Wendy’s experience was certainly a surprise miracle, getting checked for breast cancer doesn’t need to be a disaster-dodging dalliance.
With BreastScreen Queensland now operating in more than 260 locations statewide, (including a fleet of 11 mobile screening vans and even a four-wheel-drive) it has never been easier for Queensland women to get screened.
BreastScreens (or ‘mammograms’) are free for women aged 40 and over, and are strongly recommended every two years for those aged 50 to 74, as around 80 per cent of breast cancers occur in women over 50.
Having a family history of breast cancer, Wendy has been getting routine checks since she was 40. These checks have detected both of her cancers.
“The first time was 19 years ago, and I thought I found a little bump, but then I couldn’t find it again so I didn’t think any more about it,” she said.
“We were out teaching at a remote school in Prairie for three months, and I’d actually been due for my regular check just before that, but I thought ‘oh it’ll OK’ – I’d been doing them for 10 or 15 years by then – but sure enough, they discovered it was cancer, so that scan saved my life that time.”
Since then, Wendy has maintained regular checks every year, with another cancer detected 12 years later under her collarbone.
One in seven women will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer in their lifetime.
While it remains the most common cancer affecting women in Australia, the good news is that survival rates have increased immensely since free breast screening began in 1991.
Undergoing any cancer treatment is never easy, however, early detection – even before you can feel anything through self-examinations – can improve chances of survival, quality of life, and reduce the burden of complex breast cancer treatment.
Wendy will continue to monitor for any more signs of cancer, but remains grateful that her medical team have so far been able to eradicate the ones she’s had.
“I’ve had some wonderful doctors but I must say as well, without [husband Russ’s] support, getting through two lots of chemo and radiation would have been extremely hard,” she said.
“He was just the biggest support and backbone, and I just think sometimes husbands get a bit overlooked. He did everything.”
To find a location (or mobile screening van dates) and book a BreastScreen, head to BreastScreen Queensland.
Women living in rural areas, living with a disability, from multicultural communities, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women can also access additional support.
