My sweetie Pie

My beautiful friend Roslyn has been battling breast cancer since her first diagnosis back in 2004, which resulted in a mastectomy to her left breast.

Seven years later, Roslyn found another lump and a biopsy revealed the cancer had returned. The tumour was very aggressive and too large to remove with surgery, so Roslyn had to undertake 6 long months of exhaustive chemotherapy, which took all her strength and determination to survive. Finally the chemotherapy shrunk the tumour, but Roslyn now had to have her right breast removed.

Five weeks of radiation at the Olivia Newton-John Centre followed and the treatment was a success. Roslyn was given the all clear by doctors, which was music to everyone’s ears. She looked healthier than she had ever looked and, in 2013, Roslyn married the man of her dreams, Darren Pomroy her rock and support throughout her treatment.

Sadly their happiness was short-lived and in 2014 Roslyn got a cold and, thinking she had a virus, went to see the doctor. A check up and tests revealed she had inoperable lung cancer. Roslyn underwent chemotherapy AGAIN. At the end of another five months of treatment, doctors advised they had the lung cancer under control once more.

Sadly, by the end of 2014, Roslyn’s cough returned and so had her lung cancer, but this time doctors also found a brain tumour. She was prescribed a tablet form of chemotherapy, however, it failed dramatically. Soon Roslyn was finding it very difficult to breathe. Getting out to the letterbox was becoming impossible, and her husband, Darren, decided to take her to the emergency department. There they found that Roslyn’s lung had collapsed and filled full of fluid. She had an operation to drain the fluid and reinflate her lung.

Now, Roslyn has received the news that the cancer has thrived in her body and she has become immune to certain types of drugs. She is to be tried on a new type of chemotherapy, which has only just been released at the Austin Hospital. Roslyn will be the first ever patient to try this new chemotherapy.

I, Amber Scouller, am here to share Roslyn’s journey - I am just amazed at her strength and courage. Roz has a smile that lights up a room, the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen, a personality that makes you laugh uncontrollably, and one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever known. Throughout this whole process, Roz continued to work full time, scheduling her treatment around her job. Within the last 4 years, she has only had 10 months off in 2011, when she underwent intense chemotherapy. Only recently she has had to give up work, as her body cannot keep up, due to deterioration.

Unfortunately, Roslyn is unable to get any entitlements to cover her living expenses, mortgage, car payments and bills. Access to her superannuation may take up to 8 months, and that’s 8 months Roz may not have. Throughout all this, I’ve never seen her shed a tear or be negative towards her health. Her attitude is remarkable.

The reason for this fundraiser is to raise as much money as we can for Roslyn and Darren to go on a much-needed, and well-deserved, holiday together. For all those that know her, we hope it will be one of many more to come. But, if sadly the treatment she is trialling doesn’t cure her, it may be one of the last memories they make together.