Rose's Pink Ribbon Morning Tea

By Rose-Anne Mullan Mullan

I’m helping raise vital funds for breast cancer education, research and patient support.

Every year 3,500 Kiwis are diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 650 will die.

By fundraising for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, I’m helping fund –

  1. Ground-breaking projects by some of our countries top researchers
  2. Education about breast health, the importance of regular screening and the signs and symptoms of breast cancer
  3. Free support services for breast cancer patients and their families

Donate today to help make zero deaths from breast cancer a reality.

My Updates

My Journey

Wednesday 8th Oct
I just wanted to share my own personal experience to give an understanding of my journey.

At the end of April this year I had my usual 2 yearly Mammogram.  I had been having them since I turned 45 years & I was pretty relaxed about it all.  About 2 weeks later I was phoned to come in for a recall & booked in to come in the following week.  I was told they had seen a very slight change.  Nothing they could really put a finger on, but they wanted to take a closer look.  I spent about half a day with the specialist team and they did another Mammogram and an ultra sound & had a consultation with me - discussing my family history and whether I had noticed any changes, which I hadn't.   After extensive tests I was told they couldn't see anything abnormal.  However during the consultation I had told the nurse that my Mum and Aunty had been both been diagnosed with Breast cancer within the last 18 months.  I think this is the reason it was decided I should have a biopsy "just to be safe" they said, and nothing to worry about.  Three days later I was given the news that I had DCIS, which is pre breast cancer.  At this stage I was told a small little lumpectomy would sort it.  Nothing too much to worry about.   I was a bit rattled but doing ok really, and accepting the information.  I felt as things go, it could have been worse news.

A week later I went off to get my MRI, just so they could be sure they knew exactly what we were dealing with before surgery occurred.  It was about 2 weeks later that I was advised more news.  The left breast actually had a much larger area looking suspiciously like DCIS.  Also the MRI had picked up two lumps on my right breast which had not been seen previously.  I required further testing, another two biopsies and further imaging done.  Three days later, on Friday 13th June, I was advised that I would need a mastectomy on my left breast and possibly one on my right.  The left breast had at least two areas of pre-cancer, one of which was aggressive.  They did not wish to put me through more testing as the area was so large that there was no point. 

I was fortunate to have medical insurance and after a few more tests and some too-ing and frow-ing with the medical Insurer, they agreed to a double Mastectomy.   This occurred on the 30th July - so around 3 months after my initial mammogram.

The breast tissue was sent away and results took 3 weeks.  I was relieved to be told they had managed to get it all, and fortunately it was still in the stage of pre-cancer, ie had not become invasive cancer.  It was in both breasts. Because it had not yet become cancer, I was told I would not need any treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy.   And I can move to a reconstruction when I am fully recovered.

It has now been exactly 10 weeks since my surgery and I am getting stronger each day.  I am feeling so lucky that it was detected early and I was able to have the surgery quickly.  

My family and friends and colleagues have been amazing support during this time, and I thank you all.  Especially Gareth who was by my side throughout.  My company Gallaghers have also been there for me all the way.

I encourage all you beautiful ladies to have your mammograms.  I know they are a bit annoying and uncomfortable, but they save lives.  If I had not had my mammogram in April, I would have gone on merrily about my life and been none the wiser of what was happening in my body. I had no symptoms and no detectable lumps.  When they took the tissue out, the pre-cancer was  0.2 mm from the perimeter of the breast. That is close.  I am lucky it was found when it was.

If you have a loved one who is due for a mammogram, please encourage them to be brave and go off to get tested.   The Breast Cancer Foundation NZ can help provide a lot of information online to give you reassurance and knowledge to help you.

Thanks for reading this message.

Rose

Thank you to my Sponsors

$29.90

Vickie Grant

$30.94

Lisa

$22.58

Gina

Hi Rose Well done with the fundraising for such an important cause xxx Gina

$350

Gallagher

Go Gallagher - thank you so much team

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Leonie Nepgen

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Anonymous

$5.17

Anonymous

$10

Anonymous

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Siasana Suafa

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Anonymous

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Puti Gardiner

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Jamie Pollock

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Anonymous

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Juliet Kennedy

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Karen Prinsloo

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Maria

$22.58

Nic

Awesome effort Rose

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Mike Rawson

$11.65

Yue

$11.65

Jake Jardine

$57.30

Amelia Gini

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Jack Croasdale

$17.16

Lara Tietjens

$11.65

Braydon Henry

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Spencer Cameron

$31.14

Dylan Rorke

$10

Mitchell Gee

$17.16

Ardyn Stokes

$10

Caleb Stanley-dwyer

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Shamita Prasad

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Sue Barratt

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Jake Jardine

$30

Liga

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Daniel Day

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Robel Gebremichael

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Laura Knowles

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Michelle Keighley

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Adleena Mohd Shazeli

We love you all <3

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Janet King

Very happy to contribute to this worthwhile cause. Thank you for sharing your story xx.

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Jill Coppock

A great cause. Thank you for sharing Rose 💗 Thinking of you. X

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Stephen Thomas

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Debbie Lowe

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Nadine Valentine

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Julie Griffin

In memory of all those beautiful women I have known or know who have had to fight Breast Cancer during their lifetime.

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Kerry Manning

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Anonymous

Happy to help 🙂

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Lisa Exeter

$57.30

Andrea Peacock

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Catharina Summerfield