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,

Melanie Clark

Melanie Clark – This is my story.

Every journey for someone diagnosed with breast cancer is different...

I am 37 and was diagnosed on Christmas Eve 2012 (Nice Christmas Present!).

It started when I accidently knocked my breast at work with a tray, which in itself seems meaningless but if only that’s all it was, instead it was the start of something I wasn’t prepared for, who is? This was a pivotal point in my life and in some ways I think my clumsiness may have saved my life.

Thinking it was just a bruise due to the knock, imagine my disbelief when I discovered that it wasn’t just a bruise, it was a lump, it was breast cancer and an aggressive one at that -Grade 3.

My loved ones were shocked as I was, as there is no history of cancer in my family. There were just no warnings, nothing to draw from, no answers – Why?

Even though I was told my cancer had not spread and the lump was contained

I still decided to undergo Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, and then followed by a 5 year commitment to hormone tablets.

So the treatments played a big role in my road to recovery, but this wasn’t the only thing, it was also important to keep a positive attitude and never forget to smile and my family were always there to remind me of this, they were my smile on those days when I just wasn’t able to.

I strongly believe in doing everything to prevent it from reoccurring as I am

still young and have so much more to give, to do, and I wasn’t going to let it beat me.

I chose to wear a wig which I am wearing in the portrait, as this is part of my story, and even though it’s just small part of my journey, it’s significant to me.

My loving partner, family and friends have been very supportive and uplifting throughout my journey and it’s their strength that made me stronger and helped me get through this.

I urge all women of all ages to get regular ultra scans and really listen to your body and be aware – this is your best defence.  My personal experience and story just goes to show that it can happen to anyone even with no history of cancer in your family, cancer has no boundaries, you’re its best defence, so arm it with everything you have available to you.

Thank you,

Melanie Clark