A big day - the word is going out in a huge way

Today I was contacted by Bruce Heilbuth who is working on a press release about the Asia Challenge. He asked if he could write the piece using my story as a centre piece to the article.

This whole thing, my challenge, my want to do a tribute to my mum, my hope that no one has to hear the words "You have cancer and there is nothing we can do", my hope that I can inspire others to do something to contribute to the Cure Cancer Australia Research Foundation cause - the whole thing is so important to me I am willing to do anything needed. This afternoon Mr Heilbuth and I talked over the phone and I gave him a little more info about me.

Before I go on, I need to talk a bit about my Mum. My Mum was Janet Lyle McWhinnie (nee Warnock) aka Mrs Mc, OoraPoora (aboriginal for Magpie - a name bestowed on her by the local Girl Guide community as she had "ash blonde" hair), Jan, China (my godmother called her that as Aussie rhyming slang for best mate is China plate), Janny Mc (our friend Dixie and his son Michael called her that), there are many names she was known by and all very affectionate. At her funeral, there wasn't enough space in the church for everyone who came to mourn her passing. You see, although my family didn't have much (like many we were doing it tough but ok) but there are always people doing it harder. Mum worked full-time from when I was about 8, but in her down time when she wasn't running around after her own family, Mum was doing stuff for everyone else.

There was very little Mum didn't get involved in - School and Church fete's, car washes and golf days for our Marching Band, the Door Knock Appeal, Cash-a-can (showing my age there!). You name it, Mum would help as much as she could. One of the funniest/most embarrassing fundraisers was one she did with our Primary School P&C. All the male school teachers were dressed as women, the Mum's from the P&C were dressed as men and they acted out a Dolly Parton classic with a spin on the name of "The best little whorehouse in Beresfield". I was in 2nd grade at the time, my sister was in grade 5. Mum being the ringleader of the play and also being well endowed naturally played the part that Dolly played in the original. I know we had a video for a while, but I was never old enough to watch it and now that I am it's no where to be found. Kids were involved in the event by doing the art work (a whole pile of painted blue tarpaulines). The theatre was the school quadrangle - I've no doubt nothing like that had ever happened before and never will.

Mum also made time for us. When we were younger, if it was a good week, Mum will have snuck kingston biscuits and hot water and milk into the car and after church we'd go to the Bolwarra lookout and have tea and kingston biscuits (I still love them). The lookout has a view over the flood plains/farming fields near where we lived. Another thing she did from time to time was to read the Readers Digest short stories to us. Aside from the magazines they produce, they also had hard backs and Mum would read us the stories. She really could make them come to life and it is something I hope to impart one day.

Around the time Mum read us these stories, I had started getting interested in Journalism and I did my work experience with the local rag. Mum was proud of me and I told her "Who knows, maybe one day I'll replace Mr Helibuth as editor of Readers Digest and you can put together a hard back of your favourites." Mum suggested I should get the current editors name right first and we had a giggle about what a heli-buth would be, settling on a cross between a bus and a helicopter with a lisp.

Of course, the editors real name was Bruce Heilbuth - the same man that contacted me today about the press release he's writing for Cure Cancer Australia. Let me ask you - are you thinking what I'm thinking? Freaky. Part of me wonders if Mum is looking down on me and pulling the strings, another part of me laughs and wonders which one of my friends can work out the stats on that connection?

The rest of my day can only be described as busy and intense - Steve belted my shoulder about this morning (he's not a meanie - my back is improving as is my shoulder), I got to work and had one job opportunity sent through that would be great if I'm selected even though it's still contract work. Later my Director confirmed that they can't extend my current contract but they can offer me 3 months non-ongoing work as a public servant which has potential to be made ongoing but no guarantee and would mean I'd be turning my back on the firm who got me the contract in the first place - I have no idea what to do just now. It would be ace if just now I actually had people following this blog who could post a pile of thoughts on what they would do work wise if they were in my shoes.

Since my chat with Mr Heilbuth, I've been wound up and teary. After work I went out to DFO, picked up my hiking boots and rode home. Once I was home I realised I had a voicemail message on my phone and when I listened to it there was a lovely message from Lorainne at Cure Cancer Foundation asking me if I would be ok with being involved in a press release about the Asia Challenge. I wish I'd checked my phone earlier so I could call back and let her know Mr Heilbuth and I had already talked but then as I thought that, panic started setting in. What if the piece leaves people thinking I'm more than I am? I'm just a daughter who aches because she misses her Mum horribly every single day and who just wanted to turn the hurt into something positive.

There are things in my story that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy - toture, torment, bastardisation at the hands of others who could at the time that I lost my Mum. Selfish public servants who at different times in my career who have taken advantage of my naieve want to believe everyone is fundamentally a good person and when I wound up suffering for their selfishness I had no Mum to turn to and never will be held safe in her arms again. In amongst the bad has been some amazing things that I've been fortunate enough to experience (including most recently my old boss taking me for a hot air balloon ride with compliments of his new firm). The highs have been very high and the lows equally low, but I know there are so many others who have had a worse deal of cards in life than I have and so I feel responsible to stand up and do something because I still can. It doesn't make me special. I'm just trying to help.

Today 300 Australians were told they have cancer, tomorrow there will be 300 more and yesterday another 300 were heart broken with the same news. We owe it to all of them and all that are yet to be hit by this pig of an illness to help the researchers find a cure.