By Luke Voogt
Leanne Treloar is alive to sing and dance today thanks to the care and treatment of Geelong nurses and oncologists.
“There are a lot of people in Geelong who could say the same thing,” she said this week ahead of her first-ever Medimime.
The Grovedale mother-of-two will play Fairy Daisy in the ageless classic Sleeping Beauty for the fund-raising pantomime series, which starts on Friday 18 November.
Leanne, now a nurse herself, survived ovarian cancer in 1996 – midway through Year 12.
Highton GP Liz Lester, who coincidentally will play Queen Rosemary, referred the then 17-year-old Leanne to specialists.
“If it wasn’t for Liz and all the staff, I wouldn’t be here to have my lovely family,” Leanne said.
At first, surgeons suspected she had appendicitis but during the operation they found a tumour on each of Leanne’s ovaries.
“They took out what they could there and then and I had chemo after that,” she said.
“At that age, the first thing I thought was I was going to die. But I ended up graduating, and getting a scholarship because of the hardship.”
Leanne already knew Liz through amateur theatre prior to the referral and she acted as a teenager for GSODA.
“The only talent I have is a bit of singing,” she said.
“I’ve been aware of Medimime for a while, but never decided to try it until now.”
For Leanne, pantomime was her way of giving back to the doctors and nurses who helped her.
“They are so passionate about giving to the community,” she said.
“I don’t have the money to give them, but at least I can donate my time and what little talent I have.”
The cast performed its final dress rehearsal of the classic tale last Sunday.
Leanne said the interactive play would get young princesses dancing, singing and shouting, but there would be plenty for boys, too, including thrilling sword-fights.
“It’s hilarious,” Leanne said.
“The kids will love it, but the adults will get just as many laughs – if not more – because of the double entendres.”
Medimime has raised $350,000 for local hospitals and health services since it began in 1974.
The cast will aim to raise $30,000 from this year’s Medimime, which will run at Geelong Performing Arts Centre from 7.30pm on Friday 18 November until 26 November.
For more information or tickets visit gpac.org.au.
