By JENA MARINO
PRIMARY school teacher Rebekah Fewkes is determined that heading into surgery this week won’t slow her down.
The Point Lonsdale resident will undergo a mastectomy and reconstruction and just six weeks later, she will proudly join the 2015 Melbourne Walk in support of cancer research.
Fewkes was diagnosed with HER-2 positive breast cancer in August, forcing her to pull out of a marathon for which she had been training.
“I decided that I had to do the walk,” she said, planning the 60km journey to span two days.
She hopes the money raised from the event will give Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre the opportunity to find another breakthrough in the future.
She and her team, Walking Our Bums off to Boobs, aim to raise $20,000 with all proceeds sent directly to Peter Mac cancer research. So far the team has raised $5000, with an extra $2800 raised by Fewkes alone.
She will walk alongside friend and Peter Mac genetic scientist, Dr Misty Jenkins, walking with the Peter Mac team during the two days.
“It will be a great atmosphere,” she said.
A patient at St John of God, Fewkes praised the nurses and staff in the oncology ward for their constant care and support.
“I cannot speak highly enough about every health care professional in Geelong,” she said.
“They make you feel incredibly safe and secure as though you are doing the right thing.”
The 2015 Melbourne Walk, part of the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers, will be held from 28 February to 1 March 1. Visit endcancer.org.au for more information.
