Meet the Women Behind THE ICONIC x McGrath Pink Edit

surgeon as well as the oncologist and fertility specialist to discuss egg retrieval to preserve my fertility prior to commencing treatment.

I had chemotherapy, a lumpectomy and radiation. Radiation was the worst, I would rather go through chemo again than have to do radiation therapy.

Although it sounds silly, the biggest trauma has been losing my hair. I’d always had really long, thick hair. I was known for it and it was a big part of my identity. I sobbed so much over it, and I’m the most non-aesthetic person you’d ever meet. I don’t even wear makeup, but I couldn’t get past the hair loss.

THE ICONIC: How did your McGrath Breast Care Nurse help during this time?

Leanne: My McGrath Breast Care Nurse, Jenny, was a mother, a carer, a sister, a confidant, a mentor. She was empathetic and supportive. She gave me medical guidance. She was my psychologist. She laughed with me and cried with me.

I still remember the day I met her – it was my first oncologist appointment. I was sitting in the waiting room and she came and introduced herself to me and I just stared at her and wondered what a breast care nurse is and why I need one. Now I realise I was reliant on her from a psychologist and emotional perspective, as opposed to a medical perspective. My whole family is overseas, so I was reliant on her to pass on information to share with my family. Jenny filled that void.

I hope that nobody ever has to experience them, but if you do get breast cancer, you’re lucky to get a McGrath Breast Care Nurse. There are no words that describe the impact they have on you.

THE ICONIC: What does it mean for you to be part of this campaign and help raise awareness and support the McGrath Foundation?

Leanne: It’s two fold – as a big THE ICONIC fan and an avid shopper, it’s exciting on a personal level, but the feeling of helping the McGrath Foundation educate and reach new people through the campaign is exceptional.

after my first diagnosis, they found the cancer had metastasized, and I was rushed to emergency surgery to treat seven tumours in my spine.

It turns your world upside down but there are other things I’ve learned along the journey and feel like I'm a better person because of it.

I have a different perspective on life and I don't sweat the small stuff because at the end of the day, those small things don’t matter.

THE ICONIC: How does your McGrath Breast Care Nurse help you?

Amanda: Having incurable breast cancer becomes a full-time job. To be able to have someone you can call on, to help you navigate scans and appointments and be there for you no matter what is a massive stress release that is hard to describe. That calming voice on the other side of the phone or by your side at appointments makes such a difference.

THE ICONIC: What does it mean for you to be part of this campaign and help raise awareness and support the McGrath Foundation?

Amanda: It’s so exciting and empowering – I’m 40 this month so it’s such a cool way to celebrate a milestone that I didn’t think I was going to hit. I didn’t want a birthday party and this has been the best birthday present – it’s an opportunity to take away some of the persona of what a metastatic cancer patient looks like. I often get “you look so good” but it doesn’t mean I am well.

Being 26 it was completely out of the blue and just something I didn’t expect to happen to me at my age. This was coincidentally when the second wave of Covid hit. My mum was able to come with me for the first session of chemotherapy, and then after that it was lockdown. I didn’t see anyone during the entire duration of my treatment, which was hard. No one was allowed to visit.

I had a lumpectomy and topped it off with radiation. I can thankfully say that 4-5 months after I was diagnosed I was officially cancer free. But after that, there is still a lot of preventative ongoing treatment. So it’s only been about a year of not being in hospitals.

Even after the fact of being cancer free, I’m checking myself all the time, and knowing that I have to go do scans, I can’t help but think there might be something wrong. It does just live in your mind.

THE ICONIC: How did your McGrath Breast Care Nurse help during this time?

Kristy: My McGrath Breast Care Nurse, Elaine, was one of the first people that I met along the journey, and it was so reassuring to ask the silly little questions to her.

Having someone that understood everything – no one really knew what to say or what was going to happen or the random symptoms and side effects that came along with treatment. Knowing you’re not alone in that and having someone to have those conversations with is so reassuring and powerful.

THE ICONIC: What does it mean for you to be part of this campaign and help raise awareness and support the McGrath Foundation?

Kristy: Once I processed what had happened, I knew I wanted to support in some way, particularly because I was young, so being involved in this campaign and wearing pink is really special to me. I feel like I’m a voice for the younger people that have gone through this and have been in my situation.