To help Amy live her best life!

Hi Everyone,

This GoFundMe has been created to help our very special friend, colleague and all-around amazing human - Amy Roberts.

For those of you that are not already aware, Amy was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Inflammatory Breast Cancer, that’s spread to her bones. It’s incurable and inoperable, but treatable with hormonal therapies to slow the spread. This has all been very sudden and if you've found yourself here reading this, I'm sure you will join me in trying to comprehend this unimaginable situation. Amy is doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances, but the news is not good.

In my (and others') attempt to feel useful and try to flip the script on cancer, we've spoken with Amy who, with her family, has agreed for us to create this GoFundMe page. The page has two primary purposes:

• to create a space to share the news and messages and updates that doesn't cause Amy to be overwhelmed as the news becomes public, and

• to say Fu*k you to Cancer, with a “Fu*k it Fund” fundraising campaign to be shared far and wide.

Given Amy's diagnosis, with a median life expectancy of 3-5 years, when speaking with her friends and family after the news, their future dreams of travel and fun are being planned NOW, in between treatments and scans. Bucket-list events like live music concerts, campervanning from fishing spot to fishing spot, dreams of getting back to France, discovering the delights of Spain and Italy for the first time, and marvelling at the Northern Lights are all up there.

To that, we said well fu*ck it, let's turn "one day" into someday really soon! Hence, where the “Fu*ck it Fund” idea came from.

This fundraising campaign is to help Amy live and enjoy her best life, free from worrying about medical expenses and being empowered to drink as much French champagne in Epernay as she can. Amy has been a shining light in the lives of so many and at the heart of communities all across Australia - let's send some love back her way so she can turn "one day" into today!

A NOTE from Amy

Apologies for the impersonal delivery of this news, but I wanted you to hear from me and not ‘through the grapevine’.

I was diagnosed with Metastatic (Stage 4) Inflammatory Breast Cancer on 25 January 2023, it’s rare and aggressive, and unfortunately, it’s already in my bones. It’s in my hips, pelvis and lower spine, and right scapula, as well as my right breast and lymph nodes. (Not like me to do anything by halves, eh?! ).

I won’t be having chemo and surgery at this stage (small mercies), but I’m being treated with hormonal, or endocrine therapies, to slow the spread of the cancer cells, and to help maintain a good quality of life.

I’ve been slowly telling people near and dear to me, but have mainly kept it all a bit low-key because I’ve probably been in denial, if I’m honest. And we’re all still in shock.

And other than a bit of fatigue and some achy bones and joints, I’m generally feeling healthy, and probably will for several years. I’ve even managed to sing my lungs out with my band at a few gigs this month, which brings me so much joy! If you Google the average survival rates it isn’t pretty (yeah, of course I Google-doctored), BUT I have never been accused of being average, so I intend to prove ‘em all wrong! I just need to look after my diet, manage my energy levels, swallow the damn pills, and do as I’m told (also not something I’m known for!). And with medical advances and research around breast cancer, I will no doubt be given extra time in the future as new treatments are discovered.

Anyway, I am taking time away from work to spend precious time with my husband Greg and our family…and our retirement plan of doing up a campervan and touring around Australia is being brought forward somewhat! Instead of the year on the road, Greg and I will more likely do short stints to amazing destinations in our beautiful, big country…with a fishing rod, my music, a camera and my best friend of 31 years by my side. And of course, we dream of getting back to France to soak in the champagne vineyards again, discover the delights of Spain, dine on fine Italian food in a villa along the Tuscany coast one day, and go far, far north to marvel at the Northern Lights.

In time, I hope to get back into work, particularly coaching and mentoring, which I love…but for the time being, I’m laying low, making the most of every precious moment, and am grateful to be surrounded by family, our wonderful community in Bungendore, our awesome friends who are keeping us sane, and my beloved network of cyber and infosec peeps! I cannot express the gratitude Greg and I have for your care and friendship – while it’s been hard to accept so much love and support, your help also gives me peace of mind that Greg will be supported into the future.

I’m always happy to chat and have a laugh… (because I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. I always welcome a distraction, shitty memes also accepted), and I encourage you to talk about my diagnosis as a reminder to everyone to CHECK YOUR BOOBIES for ANY changes whatsoever.

PSA: Inflammatory breast cancer presents like an infection, swollen breast, hot and sore, similar to mastitis, often misdiagnosed and treated with antibiotics, and I couldn’t feel any lumps, which are very different symptoms to what we’ve traditionally been told to look for.

Gals and guys, PLEASE get any changes in your breasts checked.

Much love ❤️

Amy

PS: Fuck Fucking Cancer