Meet Rochelle - A young and talented nuclear medicine scientist.
Since embarking on her medical career six years ago, Rochelle has assisted in the diagnosis and treatment of countless cancer patients through her work at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. She had seen almost every scenario play out before her eyes, but the one she least expected, was becoming a cancer patient herself.
Many years earlier, Rochelle’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it was attending one of her scans that first sparked her passion for nuclear medicine. In May last year, Rochelle found a large lump in her right breast whilst showering. Soon after, she found herself on the receiving end of a scan that she routinely carried out for her patients. On June 7, just weeks after her first GP appointment, she was diagnosed with stage 3 HER2 triple positive breast cancer. An aggressive hormonal cancer that would require surgery, followed by months of chemotherapy, radiation, and years of hormone therapy and immunotherapy.
“When I received my diagnosis, I was alone. I had assumed I was seeing a surgeon to have a benign lump removed so I didn’t bring anyone with me. I just remember feeling shocked and completely numb. I knew exactly what I was in for, and I knew it would be tough”.
“Asma has been amazing. We are close in age, so it was nice to spend time with someone who didn’t have a preconceived idea of me. She hadn’t met me before I had cancer or seen me before I Iost my hair, so there was a lot of relief in knowing I could meet up with her and just feel ‘normal’ for a little while.”
Navigating a cancer diagnosis is never easy. Rochelle was expected to make life-altering decisions about her fertility, her treatment, and her future within a matter of hours after receiving a diagnosis. Whether your support system is big or small, the barriers that arise throughout a cancer journey are just as difficult to navigate. With your help, we can continue to provide one-to-one support, as well as tools and resources to better support patients just like Rochelle.
“I have found this program to be so, so beneficial. For anyone in a similar position to me, please don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for the help that you need”.
