Bonnie’s Story:
Why are you doing the Women’s 5K Walk/Run this year?
To walk beside my dear friend Pip after her recent cancer experience, to celebrate the remission of my own cancer experience, to help raise money for a worthy cause, and to have a fun time and get some exercise with a group of awesome women!
What inspires your team to do the event and raise funds for Cancer Council Tasmania?
There are so many great services that the Cancer Council offers. Such a worthy cause to support.
How has Cancer Council Tasmania supported you in the past?
They have been a source of information and emotional support.
What is your Cancer Journey and the importance of your community helping you through?
My encounter with cancer was mostly an incredibly beautiful experience. There were lots of difficult bits sprinkled in the beauty, but when I reflect back to late 2019 and early 2020 I feel so lucky, renewed and grateful. I realise this is not everyone's story...if that is you, my heart is with you in your struggles ??
Feeling lucky came in many forms. A routine mammogram caught my breast cancer early and a routine pap smear caught precancerous cells in my cervix within a couple months of each other. I feel insanely lucky to have had such warm, caring, and skilled specialists. How blessed are we that we have that level of service on our little island?!?! I also feel very fortunate that I finished all of my procedures and treatments right in the nick of time before COVID took hold and lockdown ensued. I had the best of a bad situation.
In the past year since my cancer chaos, l have felt a renewed sense of aliveness, joy and wellness. I have been more willing to be seen and have let go of so much that does not serve me. I was reminded again and viscerally felt how very short life is and now I just want to get out among it. I want to do what brings me joy, give my love abundantly, share my being with those who love and inspire me. I am just so glad to be here and want to soak it all in.
What is most present for me from my experience is gratitude. I am immensely grateful to all of the amazing people near and far that brought so much light and love into my dark time. I felt so held and cared for by so many. It honestly transformed the experience into a positive one. I reflected on the helpers often through my experience. Over 40 people offered big and small kindnesses that made all the difference to me and my family. I journaled about all the kindnesses they shared and wrapped myself up in them....loving and caring for my children when I couldn't, so many meals, organising food rosters, rides to appointments, bodywork, house cleaning, gardening, workshops, healing days, free holidays, healing gifts (teas, gems, essences, oils, flowers, books, art, jewellery) packages from faraway loved ones, firewood, those who visited and called to listen, share wisdom and bring me laughter ...it was overwhelmingly beautiful. I have loved how I have grown closer to so many people and learned so much through this experience. I have walked through this medical marathon feeling blessed. Having a supportive community around you is such a tremendous gift.
