My mother Julie was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in 2003 at 41 years old. After finding a lump in her left breast her doctor advised it was just a fatty nodule and not cancerous, so sent her on her way.

She kept a close eye on it and after 5 months had noticed it had grown and decided to go back, a biopsy found that it was in fact a malignant cancer and was classified stage two. Looking back now mum says she wishes she had gotten a second opinion from another doctor instead of just believing her trusted family doctor as she her circumstances today might have been very different. She had 3 lumpectomies and auxiliary clearance removing 24 lymph nodes as they found 1 node effected.
 
After having the lumps removed mum went on to have an aggressive round of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and it seemed to be successful. She had been in remission for 7 years when she found another lump in her collar bone in July 2010. The doctors diagnosed her with secondary cancer, with 30 spots on her neck, lungs and liver. After another round of chemo from August 2010 until February 2011, 6 small cancerous lumps still remain in her lungs. She has been trialing Herceptin as doctors try to manage their growth but after 6 months the cancer continues to progress. Mum started another round of chemotherapy last week.
 
After losing her hair twice and one of her breasts she is still the most vibrant, happy, beautiful and loving women I know. She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders but has the most sunniest outlook, and wish I could see her journey in the same light. Mum is one of the busiest people I know and regularly tells me she doesn't have time for cancer. If it wasn't for the short hair you wouldn't know as its not something that she will ever allow to slow her down, and sometimes I wish she would! 

My family struggles to accept what her future holds and that now the battle is no longer about defeating cancer but prolonging live. After working so hard all their lives to be able to finally have the life they have always wanted mum and dad are both going to retire now and travel. Dad wants to take mum to see the world, something they have never been able to do before.  
 
After finding Pink Hope I told my mum "imagine how different things would be if you knew the facts before you got sick". My mum wants me to do everything I can to protect myself now and in the future and I want to do it for her and believe it can really make a difference to my life. She continues to be the rock in our family and cannot imagine being without her.
 
In June this year mum, myself and my two sisters all got pink ribbon tattoos on our left arm. Mum had 'Survivor' with two ribbons tattooed to signify being twice a survivor. I am worried that one day my tattoo will mean much more then what it does today, but right now it is a daily reminder of how strong my mum is and how much I love her.