This grandmother thought it was just another birthday, but she's about to face massive change
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Birthdays are meant to be a time of celebration, reflection, and perhaps a cheeky slice of cake with family.
Yet, for one grandmother, her supposed celebration became a day she will never forget—for the most unexpected reasons.
Fishing Point resident Jenny Egan was celebrating her 64th birthday.
Yet, instead of being with friends and family, she welcomed the day in a different manner.
Jenny was sitting in a doctor's office, anxiously waiting for news about her health.
She had been working as a patient transfer officer with State Medical Assistance.
It started when she started experiencing chest pain whenever she was coughing, laughing, or even lying down.
Like many, she brushed it off and nearly cancelled her doctor's appointment when the pain subsided.
However, she trusted her gut and went to a doctor to see what was happening with her health.
After a series of tests, Jenny was called back to the clinic less than 24 hours later.
Doctors then revealed a large mass on Jenny's lung, which had already spread to her chest wall and adrenal gland.
While heartbreaking, this was not the first time Jenny had heard of the diagnosis.
Her husband dealt with the same condition 18 years ago.
'I was just crying,' Jenny lamented.
'I was devastated for my kids having to go through this again,' she shared, recalling how her world turned upside down.
Jenny's late husband was given 12 months to live after his diagnosis.
Now, Jenny faces a similar battle, but with the added weight of her family's history.
'I was thinking, "Oh my God. How can I have lung cancer?" There's no pain and I didn't feel any different to how I have always felt,' Jenny shared.
Her daughter, Brittney, continues to hold onto hope and has been grateful for advances in cancer treatment.
'We are so thankful for where things are today with treatments because 15 years ago, thde doctors would have palliated Mum and not given her very long left with us,' Brittney said.
'With her strength, we are hoping for more.'
Jenny's cancer may be inoperable, but she refuses to give up.
She's set to begin radiation for the metastatic lesion on her adrenal gland, followed by chemotherapy and further radiation to her lung.
'It is going to take me, but I don't know when. I don't know how much time I have,' Jenny admitted.
'I'm on a bit of a rollercoaster ride, laughing one moment and then in a ball crying the next.'
'I'm not giving up. I've been knocked down a thousand times before, but I will not give up,' she firmly said.
As if a cancer diagnosis was not enough, Jenny was also the victim of a scam last year.
The incident left her unable to access her superannuation or savings to cover mounting medical bills.
However, in true Aussie spirit, her friends, family, and even strangers rallied around her.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up so Jenny can receive donations to help with her medical expenses.
Jenny shared that she has been 'overwhelmed' by the outpouring of support.
Lung cancer remains one of the most common and deadliest cancers in Australia.
In 2022, more than 9,000 Australians lost their lives to the disease.
Meanwhile, last year, Australia recorded over 15,000 new cases of the said cancer.
Despite these statistics, there's hope on the horizon.
The new National Lung Cancer Screening Program aims to save 12,000 lives over the next decade.
These tests should use Computed Tomography (CT) scans to detect lung cancer early in high-risk individuals, even before symptoms appear.
To be eligible for this testing program, individuals must be between 50 and 70 years old and have a history of cigarette smoking.
'There's hope that the tide will turn and it will be far more common that people will be diagnosed at earlier stages of the disease, giving people better treatment options and the opportunity to live well for longer,' Mark Brooke, CEO of Lung Foundation Australia, shared.
The Lung Foundation Australia has a series of educational videos about the said form of cancer. Watch here:
Source: Lung Foundation Australia/YouTube
Jenny's courage is a reminder not to ignore persistent symptoms, no matter how minor they may seem.
If you or someone you love is experiencing unexplained chest pain, coughing, or changes in breathing, please see your GP.
Early action could make all the difference, especially when it comes to health.
Have you or someone you know faced a similar health challenge? How did you cope, and what advice would you give to others? Share your thoughts and well wishes to Jenny Egan in the comments section below.
READ MORE: Lung cancer treatment Tecentriq now available on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Yet, for one grandmother, her supposed celebration became a day she will never forget—for the most unexpected reasons.
Fishing Point resident Jenny Egan was celebrating her 64th birthday.
Yet, instead of being with friends and family, she welcomed the day in a different manner.
Jenny was sitting in a doctor's office, anxiously waiting for news about her health.
Jenny Egan felt ill for a prolonged period. Image Credit: GoFundMe/Brittney Egan
She had been working as a patient transfer officer with State Medical Assistance.
It started when she started experiencing chest pain whenever she was coughing, laughing, or even lying down.
Like many, she brushed it off and nearly cancelled her doctor's appointment when the pain subsided.
However, she trusted her gut and went to a doctor to see what was happening with her health.
After a series of tests, Jenny was called back to the clinic less than 24 hours later.
Doctors then revealed a large mass on Jenny's lung, which had already spread to her chest wall and adrenal gland.
While heartbreaking, this was not the first time Jenny had heard of the diagnosis.
Her husband dealt with the same condition 18 years ago.
'I was just crying,' Jenny lamented.
'I was devastated for my kids having to go through this again,' she shared, recalling how her world turned upside down.
Jenny's late husband was given 12 months to live after his diagnosis.
Now, Jenny faces a similar battle, but with the added weight of her family's history.
'I was thinking, "Oh my God. How can I have lung cancer?" There's no pain and I didn't feel any different to how I have always felt,' Jenny shared.
Her daughter, Brittney, continues to hold onto hope and has been grateful for advances in cancer treatment.
'We are so thankful for where things are today with treatments because 15 years ago, thde doctors would have palliated Mum and not given her very long left with us,' Brittney said.
'With her strength, we are hoping for more.'
Jenny's cancer may be inoperable, but she refuses to give up.
She's set to begin radiation for the metastatic lesion on her adrenal gland, followed by chemotherapy and further radiation to her lung.
'It is going to take me, but I don't know when. I don't know how much time I have,' Jenny admitted.
'I'm on a bit of a rollercoaster ride, laughing one moment and then in a ball crying the next.'
'I'm not giving up. I've been knocked down a thousand times before, but I will not give up,' she firmly said.
As if a cancer diagnosis was not enough, Jenny was also the victim of a scam last year.
The incident left her unable to access her superannuation or savings to cover mounting medical bills.
However, in true Aussie spirit, her friends, family, and even strangers rallied around her.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up so Jenny can receive donations to help with her medical expenses.
Jenny shared that she has been 'overwhelmed' by the outpouring of support.
Lung cancer remains one of the most common and deadliest cancers in Australia.
In 2022, more than 9,000 Australians lost their lives to the disease.
Meanwhile, last year, Australia recorded over 15,000 new cases of the said cancer.
Despite these statistics, there's hope on the horizon.
The new National Lung Cancer Screening Program aims to save 12,000 lives over the next decade.
These tests should use Computed Tomography (CT) scans to detect lung cancer early in high-risk individuals, even before symptoms appear.
To be eligible for this testing program, individuals must be between 50 and 70 years old and have a history of cigarette smoking.
'There's hope that the tide will turn and it will be far more common that people will be diagnosed at earlier stages of the disease, giving people better treatment options and the opportunity to live well for longer,' Mark Brooke, CEO of Lung Foundation Australia, shared.
The Lung Foundation Australia has a series of educational videos about the said form of cancer. Watch here:
Source: Lung Foundation Australia/YouTube
Jenny's courage is a reminder not to ignore persistent symptoms, no matter how minor they may seem.
If you or someone you love is experiencing unexplained chest pain, coughing, or changes in breathing, please see your GP.
Early action could make all the difference, especially when it comes to health.
READ MORE: Lung cancer treatment Tecentriq now available on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
