Cancer survivor only looking forward

Amanda Spooner says she is lucky with all the support she has had surviving breast cancer. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 280813AMANDASPOONER

Wanganui woman Amanda Spooner says she feels lucky.

"There's no point dwelling," she says of the breast cancer she has survived.

Ms Spooner knows how lucky she is because she is now supporting her mother, Gay, who is also coping with cancer.

With the roles reversed, Ms Spooner can see clearly now how her mother helped her face the crisis.

In 2010, Ms Spooner was celebrating 10 years being cancer-free when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a rare cancer with less than 1 per cent of women being diagnosed with the type, and there was not much information around at the time.

More advice is available on the condition today, she said.

The quietly-spoken, positive young woman smiles easily when she remembers the support of family and friends: "... lots of positive support, they would text and email me."

She was able to take two years off from her job as a chef to have chemotherapy, radiotherapy and breast reconstruction.

Ms Spooner said she thought a lot about her future when she was going through her treatment. She also thought about her auntie Diana Spooner, who died from cancer in 2003, and who had been inspirational with her strength.

Ms Spooner had six lots of chemotherapy and lost all her hair, which was a "big thing for me". She also had to travel to Palmerston North for 25 treatments of radiotherapy.

When she was diagnosed, Ms Spooner was a chef at Indigo. She had to have two breast construction operations due to a complication and had to stop cooking because of the heavy lifting.

She said keeping life as normal as she could made a difference. "A picnic at the beach, just getting out in the fresh air, or walking around the lake."

Ms Spooner is now transport organiser for the Cancer Society's volunteer drivers, a role she downplays: "It's only a small part; the drivers are amazing".

She has a bucket list, and first is to travel more and go to South America, and maybe learn to surf. Ms Spooner can go back to cooking, but said she loves her current work, which gives her family time and free weekends.

The Cancer Society's Daffodil Day is tomorrow.