Sister act gives cancer the big pic

Nobody wants a close encounter with cancer but, thanks to the fundraising efforts of three determined sisters who have had more than their share of the disease, chemotherapy won’t be quite such a drag from now on.

On Monday, the three breast-cancer surviving sisters – Gail Bailey of Warrawong, Susan Soper of Lake Illawarra and Linda Klein of Albion Park – unveiled the $2,000 big screen DVD entertainment unit they had donated to the Oncology Day Care Unit of the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre.

“We decided to buy the entertainment unit because, let’s face it, in the chemo ward there’s nothing to do,” Gail said.

“You just sit for hours, and you’re not really in the mood for chatting when there’s poison being pumped into you.

“But the unit will be good in three months’ time when people can watch the Olympics to take their mind off things,” she added.

“We just wanted to give something back for the fact we’re still walking.”

Gail Bailey’s cancer battle began 19 years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, just one month before her 40th birthday. Since then, both of her sisters have survived breast cancer, while she, herself, has lost a kidney to kidney cancer and is currently fighting bladder cancer.

In an inspiring move, the three sisters decided to raise money for the entertainment unit and the Breast Cancer Support Group.

In February, they held a fashion spectacular at the Shellharbour Link Golf Club, raising $4,500. Such was the success of the event, the sisters are being urged to hold annual fundraisers by the Breast Cancer Support Group, but for Gail,it’s one step at a time.

“Perhaps we’ll hold a light luncheon in winter and have another fashion parade when spring comes. Perhaps,” she said.

For the three sisters who’ve had cancer and “been there and done that”, supporting each other and having the support of the Breast Cancer Support Group and its lymphoedema clinic has been invaluable.

“So, holding a fun fundraiser to give something back seemed like a natural thing to do,” Gail said.

“It was great for the three of us, because it meant that when we were together we could plan the event instead of talking about all our medical news.

“We didn’t honestly think we’d raise that much money,” she said. “It’s become our way of saying, ‘Hey, we’re still here’.”