Australia - My Breast Cancer Story, Tara Simmons

Imagine being able to find genuine happiness in falling rain, watching bees pollinate your flowers, and seeing the true beauty in everything all around you. Also imagine being told you might be dying - welcome to the conundrum that is Tara Simmon’s life.

Tara identified breast cancer after seeing the Know Your Lemons graphic with the 12 signs of breast cancer. She noticed changes in her nipple and immediately went to be seen by her doctor. The changes concluded she had breast cancer and the removal of her entire axillary lymph nodes showed the cancer had spread. 

Although she hasn’t officially been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, her cancer had spread to every single one of the lymph nodes in her armpit. This spread meant she was at a significantly higher risk of developing metastatic breast cancer, and she would need to be closely monitored continuously. After she received the news, Tara cried for days. On roughly the 5th day she asked herself, “Are you going to cry every day until you die?” and with that, she embarked on a life changing journey. 

She now finds beauty in absolutely everything around her. She no longer thinks about the future and instead lives in the present, taking in every moment as it comes. She lives in a state most of us only dream about attaining; a state someone whose brush with mortality allowed her to take a step back and reevaluate the way she was living previously. Tara catches the sunsets and the sunrises, she stands out in the rain, she smells flowers instead of wafting past them, and she lives in a genuine, whole hearted state of happiness and gratitude everyday. 

You can watch Tara Simmons story by Hayley Bartholomew here: https://www.facebook.com/iconcancercentre/videos/1448381028596968/?mc_cid=8b22a6d8df&mc_eid=1e6889f94e

Do you Know Your Lemons? Share Tara’s story and the 12 lemons to help someone you love.