WHEN Belinda Wintershoven takes to the athletics track at Victoria University for the Wyndham Relay for Life on Saturday she’ll be reminding her children cancer can be beaten.
The Wyndham Vale resident was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago, just four months after her father died of bowel cancer.
Her children were aged just two and three and were beginning to associate cancer with death.
But Mrs Wintershoven (pictured) was determined to show them you could fight the disease and survive.
“To my kids, anyone who had cancer died, so I had to live a normal life for them. I had to try and show them mum was going to be OK,” she said.
Mrs Wintershoven had chemotherapy, a mastectomy to remove both breasts and a hysterectomy to remove her ovaries.
“A lot of people thought that was an unusual choice to make at 37, but being here was more important,” she said.
“I was fortunate enough to have had my kids before [the cancer] and to have two healthy boys.
“I am proud to be able to walk out [for the survivors’ walk] and have my kids cheer me on.”
Mrs Wintershoven will take part in the relay with her team, Sylvia’s Angels, named in honour of her mother’s best friend who died of breast cancer 23 years ago.
The team includes Sylvia’s children, three of whom are breast cancer survivors.
The Angels also take part in other breast cancer fund-raisers including the Mother’s Day Classic.
Mrs Wintershoven said the Angels were determined to do all they could to give something back to the people and organisations who supported them when they were diagnosed with cancer.
She also views the Relay for Life as a way to repay those who helped her father during his battle with bowel cancer.
“We do a lot for breast cancer, but this is my way of doing something [for all cancers],” she said.
“When you walk around the track and hear other people’s stories, you realise there is a lot of young people with cancer.
“Most people think it is an older generations problem, but that is changing.”
The Wyndham Relay for Life is at the Victoria University Athletics Track, Hoppers Lane, Werribee from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday.
