Dear family and friends,

Please help raise funds to give me the gift of my lifetime - a beautiful glass photographic portrait of myself by world-renowned portrait and fashion photographer Robbie Merritt - and support the work of an incredible local charity - Cancer Support WA.

Please show your support by sponsoring my portrait.

Thank you

Lisa Taylor

My Story

WHY ME?........ it's an all too familiar question for people who have been touched by cancer.

The first time i heard the word cancer was when I was told that my nana has passed away from it - I was only 7 years old.

So at the age of 9 when I was told that my dad had secondary melanoma and that melanoma was also cancer, I was so frightened that I would lose my role model, my dad, forever.

Reluctantly my dad, who was given less than 50% chance of survival got involved with the Cancer Support Association of Western Australia, who helped him onto the road to good nutrition, meditation and also helped my mum, his carer, with support groups. This was a turning point in our lives.

It's actually funny, the word reluctant comes to mind as I remember at a very young age, my mother showing me a book called "You Can Conquer Cancer", by Dr Ian Gawler and my dad reluctantly reading it.....

It's safe to say that despite Dad being so unenthused about getting involved with the CSA and reading Dr Ian Gawler's books, 20years into remission, he is very grateful that he did!

What I didnt see when I was younger was the cancer journey I experienced as a child was to prepare me for a far more demanding challenge later in life.

I was 20 years old when my partner of 4 years was diognosed with two large terminal brain tumors. I was completely beside myself.

But being the strong willed, passionate and sometimes stubborn person that I am, I quit my job and decided I would live in my partners world with him, as his primary carer.... That I would share in the good, the bad and the ugly. He was my bestfriend. My soulmate.

We had 3 philosophies we lived by:

• Don't take yourself too seriously
• Laughter is the best medicine - especially if you can laught at yourself
• Live like there is no tomorrow

In 2007 Nick proposed to me, it only made sense - we shared a love that only comes around once a lifetime. We finished each others sentences and even though I cared for Nick physically - he would always be by myside to find away to make me laugh at the more than often devestating situations we faced daily.

Nick's health deteriorated over the last two years of his life - his seizures became worse, the steroids were eating away at his hip and his tumors were now effecting his ability to do most everyday things.

I cared for Nick for 6 years, he passed away in our family home on the 27th April 2011.

When the Cancer Support Association of Western Australia asked me to be an Ambassador for the "You are Beautiful" campaign, one question came to mind;

What have I done to deserve the title of ambassador?

To that it occured to me... many of the carers that I have spoken to feel exactly this way about themselves.

The truth is that carers ARE the unseen HERO's behind cancer..... and for that, all carers deserve to hold the title of ambassador!

Rebuilding my life has not been easy, but my experience with cancer has provided me with great strength and a better appreciation of life. So rather than spend my life regretting what has happened to me, I prefer to see my experience as a 'gift' of learning and being thankful for everyday.

Lisa Taylor <3