Karyn Proctor

I am so excited to be walking for my third year to support women's cancer research.  During my first year, I had only finished radiation 3 months before and had just started Abemaciclib and hormone therapy.  Although I walked the full 35kms, I did not feel great as I crossed the finish line and almost passed out.  My second year I felt so much better and was able to celebrate with my team at the end of the walk.  This year I am hoping to feel amazing and do my personal best time, and also reach my personal best with fundraising. 

Over the past two years since completing chemotherapy I often thought I was "back to normal" but now I realise I really wasn't. It is hard to explain the difference, but I just feel fantastic both physically and mentally and I am so grateful and happy to be alive!  I don't think people around me would notice the change, as I think I have been quite positive throughout my journey, but I can definitely feel a shift and it has made a huge difference to my day to day functioning.  I am less tired, I can think more clearly, and I have a lot more energy.

As shallow as it seems, I think the fact that my hair is finally getting longer has contributed to me feeling more like myself.  After everything that this journey has included, losing a breast, lymph clearance, chemotherapy, radiation, multiple surgeries, being thrown into menopause, you would think losing your hair is quite minor in comparison. However, as someone who has always had longish hair, it feels exciting (and a little strange) to finally feel my hair on the back of my neck and brushing my shoulders. It is also nice to not be reminded of cancer every time I  see my reflection.  I am now starting to recognise the person staring back at me when I look in the mirror and it feels great.  Of course the fact that the side effects from my medications are largely under control now and this is the first year I haven't had surgery since my diagnosis, would also be contributing to me feeling better.  I feel like my  body has finally had some time to really heal.  Whatever the reason, I am just so grateful that I have got to this point.  

Every year and milestone that I get to tick off, I feel so lucky, but actually luck has nothing to do with it.  The reason that I am doing so well, is due to science and medical research and that is why I am so passionate about supporting this cause.  Each treatment and preventative I receive, the hormone therapy, monthly injections, six monthly bone infusions, and twice daily Abemaciclib were once an idea and then a clinical trial and now they are working together to keep me alive. I can't put a price on that. 

I am particularly thankful to the researchers, who found that when taken for two years (along with standard post surgical or adjuvant and hormonal therapy), Abemaciclib was successful in reducing the recurrence rate by 30% in people with early stage breast cancer, who had a particularly high risk of it returning (which was me).  A 30% reduction is amazing and if I had have been diagnosed even a year earlier, I may not have had the opportunity to be taking this drug. It was only approved for this purpose in October 2021, which coincided with when I finished chemo.  Breakthroughs like this are happening every day, but more funds are needed to ensure that the researchers are able to continue to find more effective and targeted treatments.

 I am always going to be thankful that I have the opportunity to train and walk to help raise those vital funds and I will keep walking until there is a cure.  Along the way, I hope they continue to find treatments that keep our mothers, sisters and daughters here longer and that are kinder, so that for the ladies that come after me, they are back to feeling like themselves faster. 

Another exciting thing about the upcoming walk, is that  my team, Purple Hearts, will be taking part in their 10th year of walking.  Definitely a milestone to be celebrated.  Over their 10 years of walking the team has managed to raise over $230,000 , what an amazing achievement, for an amazing group of ladies, who I feel honoured to walk with.  We are hoping to crack a total of $250,000 following our walk this year and we have a few events planned to help us to smash that goal (stay tuned).

This year, once again,  I’m committing to help the amazing women’s cancer researchers at WA’s Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. I’m training, fundraising and walking to support this cause. I’d be so grateful for your support.

If you can’t join me (I’d love the company), please give generously to my fundraising page.

The Perkins is dedicated to helping the women in our lives. They’re focused on pioneering medical breakthroughs and discovering new treatments for this disease and they won’t stop until cancer is history. That means so much to me. Please help me, help them.

Let’s do this. Because cancer ends with me.

Love and gratitude,

Karyn xx