Judith Lucy's diagnosis

Comedian Judith Lucy announced this week she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will undergo a double mastectomy. She spoke highly of her surgeon, Dr Fun.

The shock of not knowing

The shock of diagnosis is all the more shocking because no-one can tell you precisely what the diagnosis is. For many, an initial finding turns out to be the tip of the cancer iceberg.

Every journey is different

There are so many decisions to make in those first few days and so much information. The medical professionals in this field are brilliant and Australia has remarkable survival rates.

Treatment stretches far beyond

A year of chemotherapy, radiation and then mostly it was done. But just because you're not hooked up to an infusion every week doesn't really signal the end of cancer treatment.

The long road after

Stretching out for years ahead is Tamoxifen treatment, daily oral hormone therapy medication. Then reconstruction and a second mastectomy. After treatment comes constant vigilance for any sign of recurrence.

The loneliness of it

You'll do most of this alone. Even the most willing families and friends will struggle to understand the fear, the aches, the change. Most people can deal with done or dead, not the in-between.

“done or dead”

What Judith will discover

Judith, you're about to be amazed by the people you meet and what you're capable of. Listen to Judith and get your boobs checked. Bits of your body will never feel the same.

“you're about to be amazed by the people you meet and what you're capable of”