Mary Rose Tait

Team Dela Cruz is taking on an epic challenge this October – and I need your support.

We’ll be walking 58km for the 58 Aussies diagnosed with breast cancer every day. 

And to help find the next breast cancer breakthrough.

Our Mum Imelda was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2024, and started chemotherapy via IV in 2024, she also found out it had metastasised to a lymph node. 

It was a terrifying experience for Mum and for us siblings having our Father pass from cancer when we were younger …it was a fear in the back of our mind that we might lose another parent.

 Lucky they found it early and it hasn’t progressed since treatment. We will forever be grateful to her team of Specialists, Dr’s and nursing staff. 

Mum had her first operation on October 3rd 2024 for a lumpectomy but unfortunately they couldn’t find, it so another operation was completed on 30th October.

Chemo started on Christmas eve, December 24th 2024, fortnightly. 

We could only pray and hope that God heard us.

By Mums  third chemo treatment her hair had started falling out so she made the brave decision in January 2025 to buy a wig and shave it all off.

I took a day off work  , my stepdad and I took her shopping to buy a wig , it was not an easy decision for Mum and we tried to make it fun for her. 

Later that day after a visit to my brother’s place. My brothers face timed me and shaved mums head. Two of my brothers and stepdad shaved their heads in solidarity.

It was heart wrenching and we all cried together.

Chemo continued fortnightly until February 2025 and then treatment plan changed to weekly chemo sessions, however in the first week of March 2025 she developed a lung infection and a blood clot resulting in hospitalisation for 7 days. 

The Oncologist decided to stop chemo temporarily to treat the infection and blood clot and in March 2025, underwent a suite of cardiology investigations and Cardiologist consultations. Thankfully her heart was ok.

April 2025 Mum underwent 15 sessions of radiotherapy (daily for three weeks) which was exhausting, tiring for my stepdad too who drove her to all her appointments and was so marvellous in keeping Mum comfortable.

Ma lost her sense of taste, her appetite waned, her fingernails were turning black, she slept a lot. 

She was in a lot of pain but her faith in God kept her strong and Dad’s unwavering support.

We talked often like we always did but in shorter bursts. We also tried to make her some home cooked meals to freeze should her appetite increase. 

My brother Rey and sis in law Dee doing the lions share of the work making her convenient meals with love. 

My brothers , husband & I all rallied behind her, my sis in law Jade and brother Alv visiting often. 

By June 2025 radiotherapy had ceased, and treatment changed again undergoing hormone therapy and oral chemo , however her kidney function was impacted and she was hospitalised.

The Oncologist decided to temporarily stop treatment for a month and revisited the dosages. 

Thankfully since she has been able to tolerate and seeing her Oncologist monthly.

We pray for her continued healing, and for her health. 

We thank God everyday.

Will you donate to support my challenge, and help me reach my fundraising goal?

You’ll fund world-class cancer research, prevention programs, and support services at Cancer Council, to support people affected by cancer before, during and after treatment.

Cancer Council is Australia’s leading cancer charity working across every aspect of every cancer. They support families affected by cancer when they need it most, speak out on behalf of the community on cancer issues, empower people to reduce their cancer risk, and find new ways to better detect and treat cancer. With your help, we can get closer to a cancer free future.

It’s all of us against cancer.

Are you with me? Please donate to my fundraiser now.