Dot’s Place volunteer Helen Mofatt recently spoke at the Think Pink event held at the Colliefields for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and shared her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ms Mofatt said she was honoured to be able to tell her story to the group.
“I have been a volunteer at Dot’s place at the Cancer Council for 14 years and I fit wigs to people who are going through cancer and have lost their hair,” she said.
“People aren’t happy when they come in to see me but by the time they leave they have a big smile on their face.”
She said caring for people going through cancer was her passion and two years ago was diagnosed with breast cancer herself.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had my breast lump since 1994. I had it monitored but it wasn’t until there was a trauma in my family, being my daughter’s death, which triggered it because stress can cause it and it caused my long-term lump to become active,” she said.
Ms Mofatt said she didn’t need chemotherapy but was advised radiation, but once she looked into decided against it as she had a thyroid problem and wanted to protect her immune system.
“I had an operation where they took two lymph-nodes and I’m going really well. I try to tell people that if you look after your health, exercise and eat healthy you can keep cancer away from you. It is a hard journey, however, I now feel the best I’ve ever felt,” she said.
