By Luke Voogt
Michelle Edwards may be Geelong’s newest McGrath Foundation nurse but her dedication to local women with breast cancer spans more than two decades.
“I don’t know much else,” Michelle said. “The role is just an extension of what I’ve done.”
The mother of two started at the Andrew Love Cancer Centre to two months ago, after 16 years in a previous role there.
“I finished up on the Friday and started on the Monday,” she said.
“It’s a privilege to be in this role. We work alongside some amazing surgical, radiation and medical consultants.”
The 48-year-old moved from Melbourne to Geelong to be an oncology nurse in 1995. She now lives in Highton with her husband and 14 and 12-year-old daughters.
“We love it here,” she said.
Michelle became Andrew Love’s second McGrath nurse due the volume of patients the centre treated, she said.
“The role came up and I thought with all the things I’ve dealt with over the years it would great to give it a go. It’s fantastic – I just love it.”
The position allowed the centre to employ another oncology nurse in her previous position.
Each day Michelle helps outpatients get the treatment and knowledge they require, along with psychologists or social workers.
“It’s all very daunting to take on board they have been diagnosed with a potential cancer,” she said.
“There are so many women out there who are my age or young or older, and their life suddenly comes to a stop.”
For Michelle the job is all about giving her patients hope.
“We don’t always have all the answers,” she said.
“But if by the end of it they’re walking out of Andrew Love or the surgical clinic with a bit of hope about what they’ve gone through, then we’ve done our job.”
Since 2005 the McGrath Foundation has supported more than 49,000 families across Australia experiencing breast cancer.
