Danielle's real life story

Three years ago, Danielle never imagined that playing with her necklace, as she was habitually prone to do, would one day lead to the discovery of breast cancer.

Then only 33 years old, Danielle, a physical education teacher, had been engaged for only 10 days when she found the lump high on her right breast.

“I didn't hold much hope of survival. My wedding and any plans for a family with my husband-to-be John were in grave doubt,” Danielle said.

“I wanted a wedding, a husband, a family and a cure and I wanted it now.”

Danielle's roller-coaster ride with breast cancer had started.

“Very soon after the lump was identified, Danielle had it removed and a procedure called a sentinel node biopsy,” explained NSW Breast Cancer Institute Executive Director, Professor John Boyages.

“This involved the injection of dye to trace whether the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and following this procedure Danielle had all of the lymph nodes from under her right arm removed.”

In the ensuing months she underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy and endured the common side effects like hair loss and sickness.

Danielle recalled one of hardest aspects of her treatment at the time was losing her hair - in a sense the loss of a symbol of femininity.

Fortunately, Danielle’s complex case was placed in the hands of the multidisciplinary team of professionals at the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and the Westmead Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Unit.

Today, Danielle is in recovery and is the proud mother of 18-month-old Grace, or as her family call her, ‘Amazing Grace’.

She now provides informal support for young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Danielle and John are expecting their second miracle baby in 2004.