AFL footballers Tom and Jarrod Berry of the Brisbane Lions will always be influenced by their late mother, Jedda, taken by breast cancer too soon

Jarrod and Tom Berry, Horsham products who completed their secondary educations at Ballarat Clarendon College, have been part of the Queensland football powerhouse's return to prominence in recent years.

But, as the saying goes, behind every great man is an even greater woman. There is no question Tom and Jarrod Berry's late mother, Jedda, was, and continues to be, a pivotal figure in her sons' lives, both professionally and personally.

The Berry family's story is yet another affected by the curse of breast cancer, a vile disease which continues to rise in scale and consequence, despite improved screening and treatment.

Jedda passed away in 2013 after a seven-year cancer battle which started in her breast. She was survived by husband Troy, equal to mum in the boys' fandom, eldest son Joel, Jarrod, and Tom. Jedda's battle began when the family was still living in Nhill. Tom was in his early years of primary school and struggled to comprehend the situation.

"I remember she went through the first chemo," Tom said.

"The boys and dad were shaving her head in the garage. I had tears; I was going 'I don't want my mum to be bald'. I was so young and I didn't understand what she was going through at the time."

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Tom also recalls the extent of Jedda's campaign against the internal enemy which, over time, would infect other parts of her body, including her stomach.

"It was a long fight," he said.

"She had been cancer-free for a couple of years and it spread again, getting out of control."

As is the case with such grim scenarios, it was not just the patient who felt the ramifications of the situation.

"It was hard on dad," Tom said.

"The sacrifice that he made was phenomenal. He used to go to the hospital every night and go and see mum and catch up with her. He would sit in there two or three hours a night, just spending time with her towards the end."

Jedda's death occurred just prior to Jarrod moving away to Ballarat to board.

"I was actually going to come (to Clarendon) a year earlier and everything started to go pretty badly for mum," Jarrod said.

"She was in hospital and on a lot of drugs to keep her going so dad pulled me aside and said it's probably not the right time, for our family, for you to go off.

"Looking back on it, it was the best decision that dad's made for me. He said, plain and simply, it would be hard for me to cope with everything going on by myself in Ballarat. One of the things that really helped me through the time was having so much support from our community and our family."

Both young men continue to have powerful memories of their mother. In speaking of her, the lads are open and honest.

For Jarrod, 23, he acknowledges his mother's impact on his work ethic

"She knew she was pretty sick and probably didn't have too much longer to live, but she drove me from her hospital bed, texted me every morning- 'Get up; go and do something; get the (boxing) bag or do a few push-ups'- just to keep me motivated," he said.

"The message which shone through was outworking people around you and, if you want something, you have to go out and get it for yourself. To this day, I think about that when times are tough, I think back to the value which mum instilled in me which was hard work."

Tom, 21, still appreciates his mother's considerate and selfless nature.

"It was her caring (side) and her ability to put people before her," Tom said.

"I had a practice game down in Melbourne. She was quite sick at the time. She managed to drive me down; nan drove down with us as well, purely because (mum) was too sick to drive. I remember mum pulling over, half way home to Horsham; she had to pull over to spew because she was as crook as a dog.

"That just stands out to me. She was going through such a tough time, but the fact that she could put us ahead of her... she was not dwelling on the situation that she was sick and struggling. She didn't make it about herself; she wanted the best for us. She was amazing, the outlook she had on life. She wanted to make the most of the time she was around."

Jarrod continues to possess immense regard for his mother's handling of the scourge which had so savagely afflicted her.

"She didn't leave any stone unturned at any point," Jarrod said.

"She tried (multiple) Germany trips (for treatment), protein shakes, made herself eat vegetables.

"It was one of those fights which was admirable. You look back on that. It holds you in good stead for when you yourself face adversity; you can take motivation from her fight."

Jarrod is quick to point out the truth in the cliche of every cloud having a silver lining, a mindset particularly applicable in the current global climate.

"You talk about the negatives of the whole situation, but if you always find the negatives, you can't move forward with your life and you can't live with, the memory of your mum, well enough," Jarrod said.

"For us, it was always about taking the positive out of a negative situation. 'Righto, this has happened to us, but what can we actually take out which is going to make us better people, live better lives, and ultimately be as close as we are'.

"Our family is so close because of what had happened. We had to find our own way to football training and cook our own tea and do our own washing. It fast-tracked us to mature quickly. The bond we created through doing that stuff at a young age, pulling our own weight, was something I'm really proud of and something that we've still got today.

"We've all moved up to Queensland to be close to each other. We do the same things here: we have each other over for tea; if Joel needs something, we're the first blokes to be in there helping him out and vice versa."

Having gone through the torment of losing his mother at a young age, Tom urges women, and also men, to look after themselves.

"Make sure you're on top of things and doing regular check ups," he said.

"It's always better to get onto it early and you can get the right treatment and try and stop it before it gets too late."

Tom and Jarrod possess a wisdom beyond their years. At times likes these, Jarrod's insights, influenced by Jedda, should be heeded.

"Don't leave anything to chance. Do what you can, get the best out of yourself in life, whether that's going to school and studying hard, or training hard to become an athlete. It's out there for everyone to do; you've just got to go out there and do it."

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