In October 2010, just a month after Heather turned 50, she received a bowel cancer screening kit in the mail.
At first, the idea of completing the test didn't seem urgent and after learning what was involved, she tucked the kit away in a drawer and forgot about it.
That is, until February 2011, when Heather found the unopened test again and decided to finally go through with it. She sent it off, not thinking much of it - until the results came back: it was positive.
After a colonoscopy and a CT scan, the diagnosis was clear: she had stage 3 bowel cancer.
"I had no symptoms to speak of," Heather recalls.
"You often hear that people have blood in the stool or experience weight loss - I had none of these symptoms. I was often bloated but put that down to menopause and other aspects of my life," says Heather.
Swift action and a rapid surgery
Everything moved fast from there. Within a week of receiving the test results, Heather was in the hospital undergoing surgery.
"I really had no time to think and process," says Heather. "I'm a very positive person and just wanted to get on with it and felt really lucky that I had caught it so early."
After the surgery, Heather went through five5 months of chemotherapy as part of a clinical trial.
After some issues with her pacemaker and her portacath, she had to stop the trial and switch to oral chemotherapy for another month.
Seeking support for anxiety and relationships
During treatment, Heather reached out to Cancer Council NSW for the first time, for advice on managing the emotional toll of cancer and navigating relationships with family.
Initially, Heather tried to shield her loved ones from what she was going through but soon realised that including them in her experience was more beneficial.
Although Heather coped well emotionally during treatment, she began to experience severe anxiety once she returned to work.
Simple tasks, like checking if the garage door was closed became overwhelming.
"I'd drive my car around the block three times to make sure I'd closed the garage, and I started having panic attacks at random points during the day," says Heather.
"I really wasn't feeling like myself, and it felt like I was falling apart."
Realising she couldn't make it through this alone, Heather reached out to Cancer Council NSW again for support in dealing with her anxiety.
She came to understand that she had never truly processed the emotional impact of what she had been through.
"Because I'd just 'powered through' my cancer experience without thinking about it too much, I hadn't had time to digest what had actually happened to me, so talking about that really helped."
Advocacy and giving back
Today, Heather volunteers with Cancer Council Connect, a peer support program that matches cancer survivors with people going through a similar experience.
As a volunteer, Heather provides support and understanding with patients drawing support from conversations with her.
Having experienced cancer firsthand, Heather's perspective on life has shifted.
"Having had cancer has changed how I view little things - I just don't sweat the small stuff," she says.
"The fact that the cancer could return is always in the back of my mind. I'm now much more keenly aware of potential physical symptoms."
She's also passionate about encouraging people over 50 to complete the bowel cancer screening test when they receive it.
"If I hadn't used the kit, I wouldn't be here today," says Heather.
"The thought of the test might be uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, it's free and painless - and it might really save your life."
If you or someone you know is living with cancer, we're right here with you.
Call 13 11 20 for information and support or to access the Cancer Connect peer support program.
