In January 2018, Marketta had just moved to Geelong. Her daughter was about to start primary school and she had just stopped breastfeeding her son when she found a lump in her breast.
Marketta has a long history of cancer within her family – her father, her aunties, her cousins and her grandparents have all been affected by different cancers, so she was always proactive with checking for any symptoms. Marketta was diagnosed with triple positive, node-positive breast cancer with two tumours and high-grade DCIS lymph node involvement.
“At the start you are vulnerable and then once you come out of it you realise that everybody has some story. It’s about how you deal with it that makes the real difference.”
Marketta is incredibly grateful for her second chance and for the drugs that she now has access to – drugs that weren’t available when her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her sister has since had the opportunity to test her risk factor and undergo a double mastectomy as a preventive. This is all thanks to breast cancer research.
Marketta has now inspired others not only by fundraising for research through charities such as the Mother’s Day Classic but also through her music. Many women have been inspired by Marketta’s music and in particular, her most recent song that reflects on her personal journey.
“I have met some amazing people on my journey and my story is just one of so many.”
Join Marketta in making Mother’s Day mean more this year. By walking, running, donating or fundraising, you really can help us make a difference to the lives of those with breast cancer and for future generations.
