By Ethan Benedicto
Devon Meadows Primary School celebrated Mother’s Day a tad bit early on Thursday, 8 May, but it also served as a way to show solidarity for those battling cancer in their community.
Chantelle, one of the two support workers fighting breast cancer at the school, attended the event, donning a big smile and a new look with her shaved head.
Her favourite part? The children’s reactions.
“I hadn’t seen the kids there for, I’d say, a good couple of months, and they hadn’t seen me without my hair yet,” she said.
“It was really funny seeing their reactions, and I loved them; some said I looked really weird, some said I looked cute, but it was just really nice to see them again.”
The morning tea at the primary school also served as a cancer fundraising event, with families showing their support by wearing pink, buying a snag or two, and most of all, their community spirit.
“It was really good to have that community feel, I’ve been working with the school for about 12 months, but I’ve spent a lot of time off and they’ve been so supportive,” Chantelle said.
“The parents, the students, the staff, I would say it’s the best place I’ve ever worked.
“So to tie in Mother’s Day with the breast cancer fundraiser and awareness was a really good way to bring it in, a nice and gentle way of bringing people together.”
Chantelle, alongside her fellow support worker, has been out of work for some time, taking treatment every three weeks, with a two-week intermission in between, resting.
Physically, Chantelle said it’s been a tough fight, “but I would say the mental game is tougher”.
“Especially since I can’t work, we’re not able to go through our normal day-to-day, looking after our own children.
“It’s been very bittersweet for me, Mother’s Day is a joyous time, and this year it’s brought up some quite uncomfortable feelings, just because we want to make sure that we’re around for lots more Mother’s Days to come.”
Chantelle, with a six-year-old and a three-year-old, added that one of the toughest battles was keeping her feelings and emotions intact, all the while fulfilling her role as a mother, especially on Mother’s Day.
Hence, she takes solace in the strength of the local community and their support towards her.
She added that having cancer was one of the things she noticed that “people want to support you, but it’s hard for them to know what to do or say unless they’ve been through it”.
“They can only do so much, and it’s one of those really hard conversations, and I find that sometimes people often avoid me just so they don’t have to have those hard conversations.
“But all it really takes is a cuddle, or just some small gestures, and it means the world to us going through treatment.”
