Tuesday, 12 September, 2023
Lilydale
Teen driver arrested for early morning crash
IBAC corruption report released
Fundraising for refugee education in East Africa
Mount Evelyn’s unknown nature writing history
PAGE 3
PAGE 5
PAGE 9
PAGE 14
A Star News Group Publication
Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
12496493-NG22-21
Garden goodness for Mooroolbark The Mooroolbark Community Garden has officially opened with a bang, seeing people flock to the corner of Charles and Station Streets on Saturday 2 September. Helping begin the planting process, over 100 bok choy seedlings were planted and will be ready to be picked in four weeks, producing the first round of green goodness for the community. All in all, the committee said the launch event was a major
success and they can’t wait to see what spring brings. Story and photos page 6
The Mooroolbark Community Garden was buzzing with people when it officially opened. Picture: SAGE VAN DER HEIJDEN
Fighting for life By Mikayla van Loon A Mooroolbark mother of six has turned her terminal breast cancer diagnosis into an opportunity to raise awareness around the deadly disease that has the ability to take her from her children and husband. Susan Mackenzie is using her fight against triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) to shine a light on the lack of treatment options available in Australia to target her specific form of cancer.
Joining the recently released documentary from Pink Hope called ‘Beyond the Diagnosis: Confronting Triple Negative Breast Cancer’, Susan tells of the toll TNBC has had on her and her family since receiving the diagnosis in 2019. TNBC is a relatively unknown form of breast cancer that mostly affects younger women and has a lesser survival rate than most other breast cancers. Statistics show that 92 per cent of most common breast cancers have a five year survival rate but for advanced cancers like TNBC, seven in 10 women will die within five
years of their diagnosis. For Susan, despite being cleared of her breast cancer once after rigorous treatment, it returned a year later, this time spreading throughout her body. Given just years to live, Susan has turned her attention to surviving as long as possible for her children and to help other women who are confronted by a similar diagnosis. Feeling as though she has been failed by the health system, with detection of her second-
ary cancer not found until she raised serious alarm, Susan said “it’s so easy for them to have those campaigns about early detection but how about the resources to back them up”. Seeing a shortfall in the number of appointments and treatments available throughout her own journey, Susan said even if something was to offer her a 30 per cent chance of effectiveness, she would take it. To read more about Susan’s story, turn to page 10
William Matthews Funerals Webuycopper,brass,aluminium,etc . . . WeBuySteel
9739 6868 45 Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale
Tel:97362853•ClancyRoad,MtEvelyn3796
www.williammatthewsfunerals.com.au
12450347-LB23-20
24 HOUR SERVICE - ALL AREAS
www.evelynrecycling.com.au
12633380-FC37-23
12567379-MS37-22