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6 NOVEMBER, 2024
Advice from a survivor By Afraa Kori After a courageous battle, west mum Lynn Burgess conquered cancer in just over a year. She spotted a lump on her armpit while shaving while pregnant with her son. “I found the lump when I was about eight months and I was diagnosed when he was three weeks old,” Lynn said. “When I was diagnosed, it was a bit of a shock because I was first told it was melanoma and then I was told it was triple negative breast cancer. My mum and my husband were just silent.
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I had no idea who I was. I just kept reminding myself that internally, I am the - Lynn Burgess same person
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“I texted my other family and friends, because I just didn’t know how to tell them in person. I know that’s awful, but it’s the only way I could do it. The hardest part was seeing my loved ones, really sad. It’s easier for you to go through it, than watch people you love go through it.” Lynn endured an extremely heavy course of treatment, including a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. “The original lump was in my armpit and it spread to my lymph nodes. It grew pretty quick, it’s about the size of a golf ball,” she said. “To be honest, I gave myself a day to be shocked. Then I just said to the doctors, you can do whatever you want with my body, but you can’t take my mind. So, I had treatment once a week and that was the only day I thought about it. “I lost all my hair, I gained weight from being pregnant and gained more weight from steroids. I didn’t really look in the mirror that much, I had no idea who I was. I just kept reminding myself that internally, I am the same person. It’s just externally that doesn’t really match up.” For Lynn, cancer did not stop her life,
Lynn Burgess supported by her husband Jacob and their 20-months-old son Oakley. (Damjan Janevski) 437420_10
motherhood and self-expression. “My son got me through it because I woke up in the morning and he just wanted me to be a mum, so that’s what I did,” she said. “Even after my mastectomy, I developed a way to get him out of the cot with one arm. Nothing stopped me! I made sure I was there for that baby every single day. He had no idea that I had cancer and he didn’t care that I was huge from steroids or bald. Cancer made our bond stronger because he just loved me for who I was. “I just made sure I was out doing normal, everyday things as best as I could. I did have days where I was very scared of the inevitable and that happens to everyone. But I just spoke to family and friends about how I felt. “I know it may be confronting for people
but I think it’s important to find someone that you can confide in that won’t judge you. If you don’t have that, write it down and burn the piece of paper. That’s what I did a lot and got it out of my system. “At the time, I used to be like why me? But now I look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘you beat that’. Obviously, science helps, but my body is phenomenal. It carried a human and it beat cancer. I’m just so thankful that I’m here and I’m starting to feel more myself.” Lynn said her journey is proof that misconceptions about breast cancer exist. “I just want everyone to be aware that it’s very common. You always hear from someone else, but it can be you tomorrow. I know that’s awful to say, but I always heard of everyone else being unwell. I have no breast cancer
history and no one in my family has had breast cancer,” she said. “I did the genetic testing and it came back negative. I thought it had to be in your family to get it and I learned fairly quick that it was the roll of a dice and it just picked me for whatever reason. “Men need to understand compassion, that’s a big thing in listening to a woman. If it is your wife, your sister, your auntie, your mum, just tell them they’re beautiful. Never tell them, your hair will grow back, or it’s just a boob or you don’t need a boob. Just say, ‘I don’t understand but what can I do to help?’ Don’t try and presume you know how someone feels because everyone is different. Contined: Page 14.
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