Louise Luong Perth, Western Australia Australia Amazon Heart Thunder United States 2009 New Rider Click Here to Donate Now!

Hi I’m Louise!  I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35 when my boys were just 3 and 1 years old.  I was weaning my youngest and initially thought the lump was something to do with that but it didn’t get worse and it didn’t get better.  One Thursday morning, after a few weeks of procrastinating, the gentle nagging voice inside my head screamed at me to go to the doctor.  I finally went that day and so began my roller coaster ride.  A biopsy and ultrasound revealed a grade 1, 1.7cm invasive ductal carcinoma and a month later I had a lumpectomy.  The sentinel node biopsy during that surgery came back clear but post surgery testing revealed some cancer cells.  So then I was back in for an auxiliary clearance of all the lymph nodes under my right arm.  I was relieved when the surgeon said that I probably wouldn’t need chemotherapy, that was until I saw my oncologist and he said he’d leave it up to me! What a decision to have to make!  At first I said no way but the more I thought about it the more I thought I had to give myself every fighting chance to beat this, especially with two young boys.  So I opted for the chemotherapy, followed up by radiotherapy and I’m now on a 5 year drug trial for Exemestane.  I was lucky to have great support from family, friends and work colleagues.  I’d only been back at work part time for a couple of months from a year’s maternity leave when I found out.

The US ride will mark three years post diagnosis for me.  I never had the slightest interest in motorbike riding previously.  But after I finished all of my treatment I got myself a 125cc scooter and then I found out about Amazon Heart Thunder and I thought “how cool would that be!”  I got my big bike license just before Christmas last year and bought my very first motorbike in March, 2009.  My poor husband has only just got used to the whole idea I think but I have never felt more alive!  I’m really excited about being part of this ride and I’m looking forward to being able to give something back by raising money for breast cancer support groups and meeting up with the other women taking part in this ride.

Your donation to support my participation in Amazon Heart Thunder will help the thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year access the support they need. Thank you for your generosity!

Click Here to Donate Now!