Receiving the all-clear from cancer a 'fantastic feeling'

BACK IN ACTION: After almost a year battling breast cancer, Anne Mackintosh is back at the job she loves - positivity still in place. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

"It was never on my bucket list to die."

Almost one year since Anne Mackintosh was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, she is back at work after receiving the "all clear".

The Greerton Village School principal found a small lump on her breast in October last year and went for testing. Diagnosis came in November and the lump quickly grew to about the size of a tennis ball. By December, she was on chemotherapy.

Mrs Mackintosh had surgery in April then went on radiation therapy, which finished on August 10.

All that remains is 17 courses of Herceptin, ending in February.

"I never knew much about chemotherapy before this. There's about 180 different drugs they put together in this amazing cocktail for me and after the first treatment, the tumour started shrinking."

Mrs Mackintosh was lucky to be able to use the new Kathleen Kilgour Centre instead of travelling to Waikato for treatment.

Throughout her journey, Mrs Mackintosh was filled with the love and support of friends, family, colleagues and her school children.

Each day's entry in her calendar listed the people who came to see her or made a phone call.

The school children sent her letters and cards.

"Every day, without fail, some came and visited or made a call."

Now her battle was mostly done, Mrs Mackintosh said everything in her life had "a real sharpness and clarity".

Her upbeat, positive attitude remained throughout the ordeal. She said it had never been in her thoughts that she might die.

"You've got to do in life what makes your heart sing. You've got to eat chocolate cake in the bath. Don't worry about the crumbs. It's great to be on the right side of the grass in the cemetery."

She returned to school on Monday and was loving it. Her staff banded together yesterday for a breast-cancer morning tea, decked out in pink, drinking raspberry soda "daiquiris" and eating pink nibbles.

"Sometimes they say after people finish treatment, they go through withdrawal symptoms because of all the support they had during the treatment that's now stopped.

"But I've got it all here."

The cancer is now 100 per cent gone - a fantastic feeling, Mrs Mackintosh said.

"It was a really positive and transformational experience going through breast-cancer treatment. That might sound mad, but I met some amazing people. I had great people around me.

"It's been a real journey - not that I want anyone else to go through it."

Mrs Mackintosh said facing cancer had brought home to her just how important people were, and how everyone should look after each other.

"You certainly learn about what's important in life."