Libby Cornish thought she was a healthy 43-year-old woman who thought she had a sore back from lugging rocks while building a dry stone wall.
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But the real reason was far more sinister as scans revealed Ms Cornish had multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, and the back pain was the result of tumours and a cancer-related fracture.
That was 12 years ago and the Buninyong mum is one of the small proportion of patients who actually beat the disease.
"They say multiple myeloma is treatable but not curable ... in other words it's terminal ... but I have actually escaped that noose at the moment," she said.
During the first two years of her cancer battle she underwent several different treatments, none of which halted the growth of the cancer.
A stem cell transplant using her own stem cells that were reintroduced to her body after high dose chemotherapy almost killed her and she spent weeks in hospital during which time her husband would drop their primary school-aged children off at school, drive to Melbourne to see her, then drive back to pick up the children.
New drugs also failed, and the couple had to tell their children there was no more treatment.
But then there was a stroke of luck.
My new baby immune system went haywire and killed the myeloma.
- Libby Cornish
Two matched stem cell donors were found in the US, but specialists were divided as to whether Ms Cornish would survive the chemotherapy needed before another transplant.
"One said you can't give high dose chemo again you'll kill her, the other said I could have the allograft (donor stem cell transplant) without high dose chemo ... as an experimental technique ... and it's worth trying because she is going to die anyway," she said.
Ms Cornish had to take immuno-suppressant drugs to ensure her body did not reject the transplant but the myeloma continued to grow.
With a weakened immune system, Ms Cornish contracted a dangerous adenovirus which left her hospitalised for three weeks with severe complications.
"But my new baby immune system went haywire and killed the myeloma".
It also caused some significant and lasting side effects but, almost 10 years on, Ms Cornish is thankful for her survival.
"If it comes back now there are newer treatments so I'm very lucky ... and my children who were six and 10 when I was first diagnosed are now 18 and 22."
Ms Cornish told her story for World Cancer Day which is today, as Cancer Council Victoria released new statistics about cancer cases in Ballarat, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre warned there had been 40 per cent fewer cancer referrals during the pandemic.
Cancer Council said 665 people are diagnosed with cancer in Ballarat each year, and 226 Ballarat residents die from cancer each year. Of the new cancer cases in Ballarat each year, on average 58 people are diagnosed with lung cancer, 66 with melanoma, 78 with bowel cancer, 86 with breast cancer and 100 with prostate cancer.
Cancer Council chief executive Todd Harper urged Victorians to not to put off cancer screening.
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"Whether it's going to get your cancer screening done that you've been putting off, making a call to the Quitline, or remembering your hat and being SunSmart, there's so many actions - big and small - that we can all take to reduce our cancer risk," Mr Harper said.
"In 2020 many Victorians delayed general health check-ups and screening because they were nervous about visiting doctors due to COVID-19. I urge all Ballarat locals that now is the time to put you and your health back at the top of your 'to do' list."
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