Donna Staib Brisbane, Queensland Australia Amazon Heart Thunder Australia 2007 and 2009 Support Van Driver   Click Here to Donate Now!

“What’s that, I have a lump, no, nothing to worry about, I’m too young, I’m on holidays I’ll deal with it later”. Wow was I wrong, what a surprise & what a journey.

My name is Donna; I was diagnosed October 2005, aged 36 yrs and had a mastectomy a week later. I still remember the surgeon asking what kind of music I liked, much to his horror I said “Tina Turner” well he flittered around & viola Tina, so the last thing I remember is Private dancer.

After surgery I laid in my room thinking what next, what does this really mean? A few years earlier my Dad had fought & won a battle with throat cancer to find out he had to now fight Leukaemia, a battle he lost after a very hard fight. So, I thought, of course that’s going to happen to me. So I sat & waited for what I thought was the inevitable. But I am still here & getting stronger each day.

Then one day around the corner pops in a cheerful face. “Hi, I’m Leonie from Choices” (Kim Walters Choices programme at the Wesley Hospital) she asked how I was & what physical activities I did before breast cancer (BCA), as soon as I mentioned kayaking, well, Dragon boating is a must. I have to be honest two days after having a breast removed I didn’t really feel much like paddling. But the idea stuck in the back of my mind.

Now!! I am a proud member of Brisbane Dragon Boat team ‘Missabittatitti’ which paddles at local, State and National levels under the banner of Dragons Abreast Australia, I paddled in my first regatta in December 2006 and so looking forward to many more . It is hard to explain the feeling of being with other women that have walked the path I am on, to see how they have lifted themselves up & are “Living beyond Breast cancer’ is so inspiring. That is why this journey with Amazon Heart is so special to us, to me, to help me find the new me, the new path in my life.

I have been blessed to have so much support & encouragement from my beautiful partner Jack, friends, family & work colleagues to whom I owe my sanity. I’ve also had amazing support from ‘Choices’, it is so important to be able to reach out & talk with someone who has been there & can help when you are feeling lost. It is so valuable that my partner & I have volunteered to talk to any other couples that ‘want to chat’ about their experiences.

This journey has had many twists & turns but has also opened up a new world for me. Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to travel to the Young Survivors Coalition Conference in Washington DC, I was so overwhelmed by the amount of young women whose lives have been forever altered by breast cancer.

Amazon Heart is so important in helping to spread the word about breast cancer & that it affects everyone regardless of age, race or life style. But just as importantly there is LIFE AFTER BREAST CANCER, SO GO OUT THERE & GRAB IT WITH BOTH HANDS.

Please enable us to spread the awareness to our mothers, daughters, sisters, partners & families about the importance of early detection & treatment, donate now we really appreciate your support.

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