Just like Vicki, you too can make a cancer free future possible with a gift in your will.
Vicki Mavrofora is leaving money in her will to Cancer Council NSW to fund a future where mammograms are done regularly, so subsequent generations do not have to face their own battles with cancer.
Vicki was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 but says that her regular breast checks saved her life.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer for Australian women, with approximately 14,000 women being diagnosed each year.
"Everyone should get a regular check up - men and women. Even if it's a false alarm, it's important to get screened," says Vicki.
Women aged 50 and older are encouraged to have a mammogram every two years to screen for breast cancer. A breast screen (or mammogram) can find cancer early, when it's small and easier to treat.
Being faced with a cancer diagnosis
"I always had my mammogram every second year, and that's what caught it. I didn't have a lump but a cluster of cancer cells," she says.
Vicki was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, which means the cancer cells were growing quickly. As a result, less than a month later, Vicki was having the first of two operations to remove the cancer. "After the diagnosis, I met with my GP and she phoned the hospital straight away."
"She said, 'We have an urgent case here; we need surgery straight away'," Vicki recalls.
Following the operations, Vicki began chemotherapy, which was to last for four months. "Chemotherapy was not fun. I hope in the future no one has to undergo this treatment," she says.
Vicki likens treatment to keeping a lid on a saucepan, with the tablets keeping the cancer under control. "I will never be 'all clear'," Vicki says. "I have to learn to live with it."
Finding a way to help others facing cancer
Throughout this difficult time Vicki has always had the support of her friends and family which she is grateful for. She pays tribute to her uncle Nick, nephew Theodore and cousins Jim & Chris for coming to be with her and her mum. While friend Lina is singled out for driving Vicki to and from operations as well as taking her out for a little fun at the local tavern.
Because of the shock of diagnosis and the ongoing worry about whether the cancer will stay under control, Vicki also has days where she just wants to be left alone and appreciates that her friends understand her feelings on those days as well.
After surviving two surgeries, as well as undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy, Vicki is leaving a gift to Cancer Council NSW in her will to make a better future for the next generations.
"I want to support Cancer Council NSW in their promotion of the importance of regular screening and detection. Early detection means there is a better chance of successful treatment. I also hope my bequest will fund research that finds a cure for cancer. Maybe in the future, cancer will be cured by a single injection," she muses.
Leaving a gift in your will helps those affected by cancer
When you leave a gift in your will - even just 1% of your estate - to Cancer Council NSW, you'll help every person diagnosed with cancer. You'll help fund cancer research, advocacy, prevention, information and support now, and into the future.
Cancer Council NSW has awarded over $5.6 million in grants for breast cancer research over the last five years, making it our third most funded cancer. Thankfully, through research, improvements in early detection and treatment for breast cancer have led to a significant increase in survival rate in recent decades.
More research is needed to investigate new treatment methods, overcome treatment resistance and improve the quality of life of advanced breast cancer patients. Leaving a gift in your will helps us reduce cancer deaths and support people affected by cancer.
We will invest your gift responsibly to extend our reach into the community and ensure your gift has a direct contribution to cancer research, advocacy, prevention, information and support. We understand that leaving a gift in your will is a very personal decision, that's why we let you decide how your gift is used, or if you prefer, simply allow us to put your gift where it's needed most.
Together we can make a difference for those affected by cancer, because it's all of us against cancer.
