Williamstown’s Patricia Insall and her family are going through the wars.
But this month they have reason to celebrate, with Ms Insall being named Victoria’s Volunteer of the Year by the Look Good Feel Better program of the Cancer Patients Foundation.
Ms Insall knows first-hand the toll cancer can take, having been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 at age 68.
The Look Good program provides free workshops in cosmetics, skin-care and hair alternatives for men and women whose cancer affects their appearance and well-being. Ms Insall found out about the program while attending treatment with her daughter, Tanya Travers, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 40, in 2003.
Nearly two years ago, Ms Travers was diagnosed with secondary cancer.
Ms Insall’s 40-year-old son, Julian, who had Hodgkin’s disease at age seven, is recovering from 33 days in hospital and two operations for bowel cancer.
He said the way his mum had cared for him and his sister – who lives next door to their mother – warranted an award. Never mind her care for other patients.
“The time in hospital – for me, every day, mum was there, every single day,” he said.
Ms Travers praised her mum for always being there, whether it was to go to the pharmacy or buy her favourite Routleys pies.
Ms Insall said she was so shocked she couldn’t speak when her award was announced.
“It was just a really lovely moment in my life,” she said.
