Bernadette Stewart

Fundraising Wrap-up after GO PINK!

To date, I have raised $2500 for breast cancer research, and with nearly $300 still to be banked, from the donations box at my work and the GO PINK fundraising day at Caboolture Softball Association today, where I circulated a pink bucket around the diamonds, that will take my total to nearly $2800.

I am so flabbergasted and appreciative of everyone's generosity and support and give everyone a massive thank you.

I have gone pink, not only with my clothes, but with my hair for $1000, I am shaving it off on Friday for $2000, and I am about $200 short of my third revised target of $3000 to keep it natural (??grey with pink highlights). Anyone want to come to the party to help me achieve this goal?

GO PINK WEEK IS HERE!

I've been wearing pink every day since Monday, but after last night, GOING PINK got a whole lot more serious! Thanks to the generosity of my beautiful hairdresser friend, Josie, my hair is now "Bubblegum Pink"! 

I work at a school and heard a mixed array of comments from both kids and adults alike. So many knew my hair was going pink (some didn't realise just how pink that was), so there was excitement, shock and pleasant surprise when they saw me, and some knew why. Everyone wholeheartedly embraced my reason for GOING PINK, even the kids, regardless of their age. They were very interested to hear about my sister, as they knew I had been absent on occasions recently, and were so respectful and understanding of that.

I've been told my pink hair makes me "look young and fresh", "a cool grannie", "a Pink Lady", and even "a clown" - and I'll happily accept all of those comments graciously.

My local softball association, where I play, has come on board with support, by relaxing rules to allow everyone to be wearing pink for this weekend and the next, so am very appreciative of their generous gesture.

Must go and get my next pink outfit sorted for tomorrow!

MY GO PINK EFFORTS TO DATE!

I have the BC pink nails now, and am working on getting the BC toenails tomorrow morning too!

I have reached my $1000 goal to colour my hair fluoro pink, and have nearly doubled that to achieve my next goal of $2000, to shave my hair off (this may coincide with when my sister loses her hair), and am halfway to my $3000 goal for me to leave my hair its natural colour - mostly Grandma Grey, but my sister insists I get fluoro pink highlights. My Dad has sent a donation via snail mail, to reach closer to my $2000 goal, as he wants to see me shave my hair (I don't think he believes I actually will)! Some have said they don't want me to go grey, so if my target hits $5000, I won't!

My sister starts her chemo treatment on Monday, so I'm roadtripping to Toowoomba tomorrow, to be there with her for that. As it's a super-strength dose, we are expecting adverse side effects and hair loss soon after.

If there was any way I could take away her cancer, cure it, stop any more people from getting cancer, I would. This is my small contribution to helping achieve these dreams and more - to help the cancer patients who are undergoing diagnosis, surgery or treatment, to make their journeys smoother, easier and less stressful and less painful.

HELP ME GO PINK FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH.

MY LITTLE SISTER V BREAST CANCER

My little sister, Monica, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma grade 3, triple negative breast cancer in the left breast in early May.

She had surgery to remove the lump and also 7 sentinel lymph nodes (3 of which were cancer) on what would've been our late sister's 50th birthday. We lost Carmel nearly 5 years ago, to an aortic aneurysm, nearly 17 months after our Mum passed away from metastasised bowel and liver cancer. Breast cancer, or any other disease is not going to take another female family member from me!

A pet scan has shown another cancer lump behind the breast, in the chest wall, and also in the lymph nodes near the collarbone, but both are inoperable, due to being to close to the heart and other intricate nerves and vessels. Instead, we're relying on the super-strengthed chemo treatment she starts next week to zap them. She will have 6 months of chemo, before a month's break, then 5-6 weeks of radiation.

I am so proud of how strongly my sister is coping with all this adversity, as she has had to deal with a lot in her life, aside from losing our Mum and sister. She won't let this knock her down or beat her. Monica is facing up to it and going to fight hard all the way. The least I can do is be there beside her, giving her energy and courage, and helping her fight too!

Australia, get ready, I’m going pink.

From 18 – 24 June, the National Breast Cancer Foundation is challenging the men and women of Australia to GO PINK in support of the thousands of mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, daughters and sons that have been – or will be – affected by breast cancer. 

I’ve joined the team because breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia. It’s a disease we cannot ignore. But together, we can change the outcomes. 

While “Going Pink” this June, I’m raising money for life-changing research. Please donate to my page, you’ll be helping us step closer to our ultimate goal: zero deaths from breast cancer by 2030.

My little sister was diagnosed with breast cancer a month ago, and is ready to undertake her chemo treatment next week. She is expected to lose her hair straight away. The least I can do is colour mine pink, but if my target is doubled, I will shave it off, or if tripled, will keep it naturally grey to match my Grandma status!

YOU can make a difference. Let me know if you want to GO PINK with me!