Karyn Proctor

Cancer ends with me!

Dear Donors,

On Saturday 3 May 2025, I'm taking part in the 35km  New Town Toyota Walk for Women's Cancer for the fourth year.  I first started walking with my team Purple Hearts  in 2022 when I had just finished my own treatment for breast cancer.  That walk was a bit of a struggle and I wasn't feeling well when I crossed the finished line. Thankfully each walk since then has been easier and I am sure this year will be the easiest one yet.  After last year's walk, I decided I was going to start running again, and the Monday following the walk, I ran my first 3kms, it was a struggle, but I have since completed a 10km race and aim to run between 3-8kms 3 times per week and I am now adding a long walk on a Sunday in preparation for this year's walk. 

An important part of reducing my recurrence rate is regular exercise, research suggests at least 150 minutes per week of exercise is best to keep my cancer at bay.  I love that the walk contributes to me getting my exercise minutes up, while raising money for cancer research at The Perkins.

So the past year has been filled with positives, I have been able to tick a few more things off my cancer treatment list. I no longer need to take the Abemaciclib meds, as I reached the time frame that the trial said was optimal, I just had my ovaries removed so I no longer have to have my monthly Goserelin injection to keep them switched off to ensure I have no oestrogen being produced, and I have just been able to drop down my oncology appointments to every 6 months.  

All of this has meant that I am really feeling back to myself and cancer is now finally having less of an impact on my day to day life.  I will always be eternally grateful for the research that has allowed me to recover so well. In May, it will be four years since my diagnosis and October will be four years since finishing chemo, and being cancer free.  I am only one year off from the first big milestone of reaching five years cancer free and I know that without medical research and the constant search for better treatments, the chances of me still being cancer free at the five year mark would have been slim.

There is so much more to be done to ensure that women of WA confronting cancer stay with us for as long as possible.  I would be so grateful for your continued support.  Over the past three years I have raised $20,120 through walking and I know that I owe a debt of gratitude to all of my supporters who have continued to donate to this amazing cause.  The Perkins continue to come up with exciting breakthroughs in their labs and I am hoping together we can work towards a cancer-free future.

Thank you as always for your support, it is greatly appreciated,

Karyn

Please help me, help the Perkins.