So scared

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/1402840/shared-experiences/# : retyped for you:

FIFTY years survival of breast cancer is a dream for most women suffering from the disease.

But for Elaine Marsh it is a reality.

She went to the doctor and had a biopsy, which showed she had breast cancer.

"Apparently I had the lump all my life, but it was aggravated by pregnancy," she said.

The cancer was quite aggressive, according to Mrs Marsh, and resulted in a mastectomy after the birth of her baby.

"Everything happened so quickly," she said.

"I wouldn't be here today if it hadn't been for the people of Wynyard praying.

"Being in the church has really helped."

Cancer is "well-entrenched" in her family, she said.

With five out of six siblings having suffered from cancer, Mrs Marsh said she was very aware of cancer, what it does to people and encouraged her children to get regular mammograms and check- ups.

After the original lump, Mrs Marsh had a few more scares with cancer.

"Ten years after the original lump, I had a lump every year for four years in a row," she said.

But fortunately nothing eventuated from them.

Fifty years ago there was no support groups for women suffering from breast cancer, everything was just swept under the rug, according to Mrs Marsh.

"At that time, you weren't allowed to talk about it; I had a nervous breakdown 10 years later as a result," Mrs Marsh said.

"People would cross the street because they didn't know what to say."

Having had to go through the experience on her own, Mrs Marsh does not want other women to have to do that.

"It's been a pretty major thing, you can never forget it," she said.

So she visits support groups to tell her story and to encourage other women in their own journey through breast cancer.

"It must give you hope to go to a support group and see someone who has survived 50 years there," Mrs Marsh said.

"You can always learn something, if it's only something you can rub into your skin," she said.