Cancer Has Done Me A Favour. Am A Different Person Now. Says Survivor

 Louise Mitchell now.Source:Supplied                            Louise (left) was obese before her cancer diagnosis.Source:Supplied

This is a touching real life experience that i thought could lift us up. Here's what she said about her journey of cancer and how it has made her a better person.
AT MY biggest I was 165kg. I was miserable, but I was also in denial. I had gained the weight steadily over time and even though I wore big cover-up clothes I didn’t really acknowledge that I was big.


I had a lot on my plate. Mum was very unwell, and my son was having mental health difficulties. I looked after everybody else, but neglected my own health. I was eating too much and drinking excessively. I suppose you could call it self-medicating.


I would lose myself in the grog, and although it was only temporary, it was an escape from the stress of my mum’s illness. Looking back now I can see it was a lonely and desperate time for me.

I noticed blood in my underwear. It was odd — I had gone through the change in my forties so hadn’t had a period in nearly a decade. I put it down to stress and didn’t think much more about it.

It was an incredibly stressful time, so when the bleeding continued over the next nine months I just dismissed it. I talked to a few close friends about it and they agreed with me — it was nothing to worry about.

My mum passed away in September 2015 and in the months that followed the bleeding increased. I bit the bullet and went to see a gynaecologist. I expected her to tell me there was nothing to worry about. But she knew as soon as I described the symptoms that it was a lot more serious.

My GP introduced me to a gentle water exercise program. But the biggest thing was my diet. I ditched carbs and red meat. I also ditched the booze — I had to get healthy to beat the cancer.
I lost 1.5 to 2kg every week in the first six months. I weighed myself every day — I had to be sure that I was going in the right direction. As the weight came off I also gained strength and increased movement.

Eventually it was time for the operation — I was ready, physically and mentally. It all went well. I didn’t feel like I’d had major surgery and I recovered quickly. In contrast, the radiation therapy (brachytherapy) that followed was a really horrible experience. It was emotionally and physically devastating and left me quite drained.
The hardest part of my cancer “journey” was the lack of support. My medical team had been amazing, but I couldn’t lean on them. My friends and son were there for me, but they hadn’t experienced what I had, so just didn’t understand what I was going through.

 It was a lonely place.
It’s been just over twelve months since my cancer diagnosis and life is so different now.
I look 20 years younger and I feel fantastic! I now feel like superwoman. My energy levels are high. I feel like I have had an operation to give me supercharged batteries.
Now I want to help people. I want to spread the word about healthier lifestyles and the impact it can have on the risk of cancer. If you are looking for a fun way to get moving then Go for Gynae (a new initiative from The Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Group) it a great way to get fit and support a really worthwhile cause.

I’m loving life, I’m just loving it. I didn’t have that passion. I loved being alive but I didn’t love life like I do now. Cancer has done me a favour. I’m a different person. I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. It was a huge shock, and extremely distressing. However the biggest blow was to come — I needed a life saving operation, but I was far too overweight.