Despite the overwhelming fatigue from tending to my elderly parents in the past weeks, I found myself wide awake in the early morning hours today. Melbourne was lit with flashes of lightning as a rapid rainband swept through, accompanied by sporadic thunderstorms. Attempting to dismiss the vivid flashes behind my curtains, I struggled to return to sleep. However, my mind refused to comply, leading me back to a day precisely thirteen years ago – the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It’s ironic that looking back on that moment now, I realise how comparatively young I was. At the age of 44, I didn’t perceive it that way, but time has a way of altering perspectives. Parked outside a daycare centre in Berwick, waiting for my daughter who was escorting my 3-year-old grandson inside, I received a life-altering phone call from my family doctor. He hesitated, inquiring if I was alone before breaking the news about my breast cancer diagnosis. He wanted to ensure that I had nearby support. In an instant, my world flipped upside down.

Only months prior, I had separated from my first husband, becoming a single mum to a 14-year-old son. Those days, etched into the recesses of my mind, marked some of the darkest moments of my life. Gratitude overwhelms me as I realise that early detection allowed me more time on this earth. That sweet 3-year-old blue-eyed grandson has now blossomed into a tall, handsome 15-year-old, while my then 14-year-old son is on the brink of turning 28 in a few weeks. Since that fateful day in January 2011, life has taken me through both shadowy and sunlit paths.

Though more dark days unfolded, the sunny ones became increasingly abundant. I acknowledge the goodness of God, who has steadfastly walked with me through thick and thin, never abandoning me. As I sit in solitude, while the rest of Australia slumbers, I want to express profound gratitude for the past 13 years, witnessing my children mature into adults I am proud of, and welcoming two additional grandchildren into my life. Each day is now a testament to resilience, hope, and the precious gift of time.