MIA Cassin was 41 and juggling a part-time job with caring for three sons when her world turned upside down.
Her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer the year before and Ms Cassin, of Miranda, was checking her breasts for the first time when she felt a lump. Feeling instinctively something was wrong, she made a panicked call to her GP.
An ultrasound the following week led to a core biopsy and her worst fears were realised: she had breast cancer.
The lump was removed the following week and Ms Cassin initially woke to good news. There was no sign of the cancer in her lymph nodes.
But a microspeck of cancer was later discovered during further testing, leaving Ms Cassin terrified she was "going to die".
Having so far spared her children, then aged 4, 9 and 13, from news of her diagnosis, she had no choice but to tell them.
She had surgery to remove 20 lymph nodes and awoke covered in drains, then embarked on two rounds of aggressive chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
During her darkest days, the McGrath Foundation and the Joanne Mackay Breast Cancer Foundation offered support.
After "the fight of my life", Ms Cassin is back to full health and joined forces with Mara Martinic, of Woolooware, to organise the Shire PINK Lunch.
"Four years on I'm feeling incredible and love giving back to these two amazing charitable organisations that supported me through my treatment and beyond," she said.
All 230 tickets to the October 3 lunch at Summer Salt restaurant, Cronulla, sold out in 45 minutes.
HELP AT HAND
Mia Cassin had been ‘‘passionate’’ about raising funds for Joanne Mackay Breast Cancer Foundation long before her own diagnosis.
She had known Mrs Mackay and, as media manager for beauty and skincare distributor True Solutions, she would help with prizes for the foundation’s fund-raising events.
‘‘I was passionate about helping them, not knowing I would ever use them,’’ she said.
She ran into one of the foundation’s volunteers after her diagnosis, who urged her to seek financial support. She resisted until she received a ‘‘large chemo bill’’, which the foundation paid ‘‘without question’’, meaning her boys did not miss out at Christmas.
The foundation helps patients and their families financially during treatment; paying for housework, transport, medical and utility bills, as well as the purchase of wigs and prosthetic breasts.
Ms Cassin said she was lucky to have access to a McGrath Foundation-funded breast care nurse during treatment.
The Shire PINK Lunch raised $20,000, which will be divided equally between the two charities.
