Cancer survivor Jessica Chan said some of the worst experiences of her illness had been the weekly long distance journeys for her chemotherapy.
The 25-year-old Bowen Mountain resident was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 21, in June, 2011.
‘‘It would have been so much easier if the treatment had been at Hawkesbury Hospital, in Windsor,’’ Mrs Chan said.
‘‘This new treatment at Hawkesbury will help a lot of people.’’
On Monday, the health service announced a new chemotherapy service for Hawkesbury Hospital.
Before, the nearest treatment facility had been at the Nepean Cancer Care Centre in Penrith.
‘‘It could take 40 or 50 minutes, sometimes longer depending on the traffic, to get to Penrith for my chemo,’’ Mrs Chan said.
‘‘The night before I’d usually stay at my parent’s place in Wilberforce; it’d still be a long journey.’’
She said chemotherapy also made her sick, which made a long return journey more unpleasant.
Her chemotherapy for bowel cancer lasted six months, but she also needed surgery in that time.
However, doctors then discovered tumours in her lungs.
‘‘Fortunately they got that in time,’’ Mrs Chan said.
‘‘My last chemo was in January, 2013, but I still have to go for check-ups every three months.
‘‘I don’t drive, so I have to ask one of my parents or my husband to take a day off to drive me there.
‘‘I had an allergic reaction to the chemo once and had to stay at Nepean Hospital for a week and if I had a temperature I would also have to go to emergency in Penrith.’’
She said while scans were still needed, hopefully she could see a doctor at Windsor now rather than travel to Penrith.
Mrs Chan’s life has continued to turn for the better.
In December last year, her first child, Natasha, was born.
‘‘She was obviously meant to be,’’ Mrs Chan said.
‘‘I’d been waiting a while for a baby; Natasha is now here and I’m enjoying being a mum.’’
She hopes she has seen the last of cancer, but warned people to look out for symptoms and to see their doctor if they had any concerns, however small.
‘‘When I first saw the doctors about my symptoms they told me I probably had irritable bowel syndrome, because I was so young,’’ Mrs Chan said.
‘‘But it turned out to be cancer.’’
She also said the experience taught her to value life more and be thankful she was alive.
