Paula discovered she has the BRCA1 gene, which carries a 70 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and has the potential to also impact her children.  

Previously unaware she carried a family history that would multiply her risk, Paula is passionate about advancing Mater’s research, awareness and early detection efforts. 

Early detection saved Paula’s life, while research will prove equally important for her young children Conor, Robbie and Alana, should they too be carrying the BRCA1 gene.

“I think the hardest part for me is (thinking about) my seven-year-old daughter (Alana),” Paula said. “As a parent, you try to protect them from everything, and this is something that I can’t. She will need to be tested, and so will the boys too, to see whether they carry the gene. 

 

“I’m hoping for Alana, given that’s 13 years away, a lot can happen in the next 13 years so I’m putting my trust into the medicine and the science. We’ve come so far in the last 10 years. Even just the experience I had was so different to someone that I knew who had breast cancer six years ago.” 

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Together, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of these brave women like Paula diagnosed with breast cancer by offering them a helping hand in their journey.

During recovery, items like mastectomy bras and wigs can enhance comfort and confidence. 

Research, meanwhile, will remain imperative for Paula and her family. 

“I’ve had a complete response (to treatment), which is great news, but I do know my journey has not ended,” Paula said. “Due to having a genetic mutation and the risk it poses, they will want to remove my ovaries and fallopian tubes by the time I’m 40. But for now, I can breathe a little bit. 

“I can’t control that I had cancer but I’m going to control how I respond to it.”