For Lismore local Joy Riley, life was going through its normal routine in 2021. Joy was working at the newly renovated Invercauld House and her husband Stephen was setting up his new business Riles Media.

January 2022 marked a huge turning point for Joy as she was diagnosed with breast cancer which also spread to her lungs.

It was the usual pattern that affects 22,000 women in Australia each year, discover a lump in the breast, get it checked and learn the heartbreaking news you have cancer. Then came the round of doctor and specialist visits to work out the best plan.

"There's been four different versions of attack," Joy told the Lismore App, "I'm on number four."

Joy's cancer advice was from a doctor, a surgeon and an oncologist.

"The first doctor said it will be a double mastectomy. The second one said no, we're going to do chemo and radiation, the third one said we'll do surgery just to one breast because it's only in one breast and the fourth one, which is what I'm on now, is some medication. I call it an oral chemo."

"A good team of doctors so oncologists, nurses, a breast cancer nurse meet and they work out the best plan of attack. There were four approaches or plans but when they had their meeting together, they had the final one which is the plan of attack we're doing now."

Joy takes three weeks of tablets each month then has a week's rest, she calls it her 'detox' week.

When you talk about how the flood affected so many people's lives, either directly or directly, Joy's was stressful because they couldn't get the tablets into Lismore for her to start taking the medication. So, it was March before the continuous tablet-taking cycle began after travelling to a Ballina chemist that stocked the medication.

As is the case with all cancer drugs there have been some side effects for Joy.

"I've lost a little bit of hair, it's all thinned out. My fingernails split and break continuously plus the tablets give me nausea in the mornings for usually half an hour to an hour after taking the medication so I come to work feeling kind of crappy."

When Joy started the cancer journey the doctors took biopsies and planted markers in her breast so they can identify and measure the tumour size during Pet scans to monitor the progress.

During our chat, 'so far so good' was Joy's reply with a visit to her oncologist the day after we spoke.

"I had the original tests in February and then at the end of May I had more scans and the results came back saying that things are starting to shrink which they're really happy about," Joy explained.

Through her own journey with breast cancer and the fact that 22,000 women across the country will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year with 3,200 of those losing their lives, Joy decided to raise some funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation after seeing that October was the month that the foundation was raising funds through High Teas or Breakfasts.

"We're having a High Tea on Saturday the 29th of October at Invercauld House between 2pm and 4:30pm with some stalls, prizes and raffles."

If you want to support Joy through the High Tea, you had better be quick as only three (3) tickets remain from the eighty (80) that were available at $30 a ticket. To book click on this link .

"If people can't come to the event or it is sold out, they can donate to my fundraiser page on the National Breast Cancer Foundation website page. I set a goal for $500 to start with and thought I will probably get to a $1000 so that is now the goal. The support has been great."

When we were talking the total was $859 with Joy saying she had been given some cash as well to get it to just under $1000. Well, it was already over $1000 as I write this story but don't let that stop you from donating to Joy's page, here is the link. The more money that can be raised, the more we can help the foundation achieve its goal "Stop deaths from breast cancer".

"I think by the end of the event we will have $2000," Joy added. With your help, we can reach $3000.

As Joy said, "Every second person you talk to is affected. It's their sister, their aunty, their friend, and their grandmother. You know, we're all going through a journey."

That is why Joy has guest speakers. Three cancer survivors and a breast cancer nurse giving advice about what assistance is available and the latest statistics.

The final chapter of Joy's story is to tell you the good news from Joy's latest oncologist appointment.

"Just an update after my Oncology appointment today. 

"Great news - All of my lumps in the breast & lungs are still shrinking in size! And there is nothing new! "Some are getting hard to see on the PET scan images ! 

"The plan is to keep going with the treatment at this stage."

Great news Joy ad thank you for sharing your story.