Louise Sinclair

“In October 2006, Louise Sinclair was a busy working mother with three children aged 6, 4 and 2 and was 27 weeks pregnant with her fourth child. She was a lawyer and keen triathlete.

Within a week of a visit to the GP to investigate a breast lump, Louise was in hospital having a right mastectomy. Distraught about the impact on the baby, Louise and her husband Erik sought advice and decided on two rounds of chemotherapy to bring the baby to 34 weeks. Just before Christmas, Louise had a caesarean, delivering a beautiful, healthy baby boy.

In January 2010, Louise had a scan to investigate persistent back pain. The news was devastating – metastatic disease with three lesions and one compression fracture. Louise’s treatment commenced immediately and involved radiation to her spine and chemotherapy. “My older children are now very aware of the nature of breast cancer. It caught my breath when my 10 year old son said “Mum, it’s very serious when breast cancer comes back a second time, some people don’t make it.” But then he looked me in the eye and said, “I think you will. You beat it last time and you can beat it again.” I hold onto these words every day,” Louise says.

Thankfully the chemo worked and recent scans show the fracture has almost healed and the cancer is currently inactive. “I am hopeful for my future and the future of my children and my husband Erik. The money donated to breast cancer research is making a real difference today. In the meantime we have begun to enjoy life again and we celebrate each family milestone we reach together.”