Taylah’s Road to Recovery

In December 2019, Taylah Blithe took part in the Carman’s Charity Run to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.

Today Taylah finds herself in the fight of her life as she battles the very disease that she had been fighting the war against.

Taylah has been unable to work for several months, medical bills are piling up and she requires a number of different household modifications to assist her with her road to recovery.

Taylah’s dream is that once she is well enough, she will be able to jump on a plane and travel to Canada to visit her very dear family friends. It’s this dream that helps her get through her treatments and medical procedures.

With your help, we can make sure her dream comes true as well as raise awareness into this hideous disease. ✈️ ✈️

Taylah is a remarkably brave young woman who still to this day, lights up a room with her big beautiful beaming smile… this is her story:

“On April 2nd 2021 Good Friday I had just returned from a holiday in Qld where I celebrated my 26th Birthday, I had just had a shower and felt a lump in my left breast.

I made an appointment at my Doctors (the first available) Tuesday 6th April, he treated me for Mastitis (an infection normally found in breast feeding mothers) but can also be in non breast feeding mothers. He gave me Antibiotics and told me if it did not improve by Friday come back. I went back Friday and he started to give me an injection of antibiotics daily as well as a referral for an ultra sound. At this stage the Lump was growing.

Due to Covid I was having trouble getting an appointment for this test. I called my doctor back and he arranged for me to see an oncologist and for her to do a biopsy on the lump in the mean time.

I went to the Oncologist on Monday 12th April, she struggled to get the Biopsy, so arranged an appointment at the Monash Breast Clinic for the Thursday 15th April to get the Biopsy done. This was done as well as a mammogram, at this stage everyone was still convinced it was Mastitis and I was still getting a daily injection of Antibiotics.

I had an appointment for the following Thursday to see the Oncologist for the results and on Monday 19th April the Oncologist rang me to say that some of the results were back and these were showing suspicious results. I burst into tears and asked what this meant. She told me it was looking like I had Breast Cancer. She wanted to see me on Wednesday afternoon, as all results would be back by then.

On 21st April I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Stage 3. At this point the lump was significantly bigger. My mum and I cried and the Oncologist was shocked as well. Never did I once believe my lump was Breast Cancer. Not at my young age!!!!

Everything from this day on moved very fast.

We had appointments at the IVF Clinic, as the Oncologist thought it be best to try and retrieve my eggs before my 6 months of Chemo started.

I had more Biopsys and another Mammogram, I had a Pet Scan, heart scan and a Port put in to my chest to allow the Chemo to be run through.

I had blood taken to test for the Brca Gene. My family has not had a history of cancer and we have never had the Brca Gene within either my mums or dads side. We now wait for the results, this can take 8 to 10 weeks.

We were given only 15 days to try and retrieve eggs before my Chemo had to start. I was only able to retrieve 1 Viable Egg.

We Decided to cut my hair shorter before Chemo started to prepare for my hair loss. Chemo started on Friday 14th May. The Lump was about 6-7 cms big, it had grown about 5 cms very fast between when I found the lump until now. I was very unwell after Chemo that first weekend, and after seeing my Oncologist the next week, she ordered a different drug regime and I was able to tolerate my Chemo most weeks with just Nausea and tiredness, along the way i did also suffer aches and pains in my hands and feet. I became bloated from head to toe. I would have 4 to 5 days after Chemo feeling average, and then I would be able to work 2 days a week. This was good for my mental health and to just get away from Cancer for 2 days. My hair started falling out after my 2nd Chemo treatment, so I asked my Mum to shave my hair off…. This was a day when I cried.

This same routine continued for 5 months out of the 6 months of Chemo and the last month I was just too exhausted, constant nausea and pain within my body, and had to stop working. My last Chemo was on Monday 4th October.

We did get the Brca Gene test back and I was positive for the BRCA 1 gene. I will now have to have a double mastectomy and will need to also keep checking on my Ovaries. Due to me being so young, there is no choice but to have a Double Mastectomy. The chances of this Cancer returning is too high. My Ovaries will be removed in my mid 30's as again the risk of getting Ovarian Cancer remains high. 

My Surgery was performed on Thursday 4th November and I was in hospital for 6 days and now home to rest, heal and recover.

My family, Mum, Dad and Sister are now waiting to be tested for the Brca Gene.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, I had to go through most of all my treatments alone. However the love, support and messages of encouragement from the army of family and friends is what kept me going to fight this awful disease.”

  Taylah Blithe