Lee's BCNA Pink Pedal Challenge

My name is Lee Sieracki. I am a breast cancer survivor and am passionate about raising funds for and awareness of the Breast Cancer Network Australia.

I would welcome any contribution, great or small, that you could make!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, 2007. I was 37 and had discovered a lump whilst breastfeeding my son Sam, now 7. Bailey was about to turn 4 and had just started Kindergarten.

I had 2 surgeries to remove the cancer, 6 courses of aggressive chemotherapy over 18 weeks and a month of daily radiotherapy. The chemo made me sick and weak. I'd start feeling nauseous 2 days before each treatment! Just as I was recovering, BAMMM...I'd be hit with another round. Half way through I was close to throwing in the towel but deep down I knew that I had to stick with the plan to be 100% positive that the cancer had not spread. 

6 years down the track, I can say that I'm lucky to be a survivor and I have actually gained so much because of my breast cancer journey. My connection with BCNA is a big part of this.

I first learned of BCNA when I received a free MY JOURNEY KIT, given to every person diagnosed with breast cancer. I then subscribed to receive the BEACON, BCNA's quarterly magazine. I enjoyed reading and contributing articles and photographs of my own breast cancer experiences to the Beacon.

A couple of years after being diagnosed I was suffering from depression, common to breast cancer survivors. Don't misunderstand me...I was happy to be alive and relieved to be able to return to my favourite job of being Mummy. I'd beaten breast cancer. The depression came from nowhere in particular. I wasn't moping about, feeling sorry for myself. I just couldn't love life any longer. I was drained.

I decided to connect with other breast cancer survivors at a BCNA summit in Bunbury where the focus was reaching out to those personally affected by breast cancer in remote, rural and out-of-city areas. Despite the incredible support of family, friends and even strangers, I needed to spend some time with people who really, truly understood what I had been through and was still going through. As I was sitting there, crying massive, uncontrollable crocodile tears in the front row, having listened to another young mum's breast cancer story, up popped a photograph on the big screen of me with my border collie, Toby. He had just passed away from cancer.

It was a moving day and the beginning of an incredibly strong bond with Breast Cancer Network Australia. BCNA trained me to became a Community Liaison and Online Champion. Our CL role is to increase awareness of BCNA's mission www.bcna.org.au and to raise funds for the many free resources they produce.

The role of an Online Champion is to connect with and support women on the site through the BCNA online network. We support each other through the good times and bad.

I put my CL and Online Champion roles slightly to one side last year as I had further surgeries. I discovered that I have the BRCA1 genetic mutation which predisposes a person to breast and ovarian cancer. I had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction, which took nine and a half hours, and two weeks later I had ovaries, uterus and tubes removed. As a result of the long surgery I developed multiple bilateral pulmonary emboli (blood clots on the lungs) and have to take Warfarin for 6 months. This put a temporary hold on my final stage of reconstructive surgery. June 13th is my new surgery date to complete the reconstructive process.

To conclude...BCNA has introduced me to new friends across Australia, reunited me with old friends, made my bonds with others even closer. It has taught me new life skills and has given me many opportunities to learn about fundraising, working with the media, working on committees, and public speaking. I also have many opportunities to keep up with latest findings and statistics in breast cancer research and related topics and to hear specialists, who are top in their field, speak at BCNA summits and conferences. I feel at home with BCNA and want others to know that this network is there in every way possible to help those personally affected by breast cancer.

SO...I'm going to challenge myself to the 2014 PINK PEDAL CHALLENGE! Here goes!...