19 / 24
crowds out in the Pilliga for good media
shots, a lot has been the gruelling job of
writing submissions to government. Then
came the time when I was asked to put my
own body on the line. I decided I didn’t have
much to lose so I was tied up to a truck for
seven hours. That really is getting out of my
comfort zone. I have learnt a lot from that
action, like I have the strength of my convic-
tions and how the justice system works. It all
ended well with the magistrate in the New-
castle district court dropping the charges
against me and the fines with no court costs.
Such a relief. I guess I have been well and
truly radicalised.”
“I always think of myself as someone who
rises to a challenge, that’s why I am a farmer
and I have been tested over this last year
with the biggest challenge, Breast Cancer.
Getting a diagnosis of breast cancer and
going through the treatment makes a big
difference to how you perceive life and what
you’re doing with it. Life before breast can-
cer and life after breast cancer is how my life
is now broken up. I feel God gave me a great
big kick up the pants. It makes you sit up
straight and say I have to make a bit more
of what I am and what I do. You can’t just
sit there and take life for granted and do the
same thing, day in and day out.”
“It was a bloody terrible time. When the
doctor tells you to put your life aside for six
months while you have treatment, I thought,
I can’t do that. But there is no choice, you
can. You have to. It’s horrible because the
chemo sort of kills you, kills off all your
cells trying to kill the cancer. I just had to
get through it. A lot of people say you are
so brave or you have to think positive and
I want to kick the next person that says,
“think positive”. This is the treatment, this is
what I have to do and I just do it the best I
can, every day. It’s just survival. Sometimes I
felt like I wanted to curl up in a foetal posi-
tion and stay in bed for the whole time until
it was over.”
“My biggest challenge with chemotherapy
is how it affected and continues to affect
my memory and concentration. I am hop-
ing one day to be normal again. I was very
fortunate to have had my mum stay with
us to keep the wheels on the track domesti-
cally while I was derailed. So I have learnt
through all of this never to sit back and
watch something happen that I don’t agree
with, always ask questions and do what I
can to make a difference. It maddens me
that the government, the people in charge,
seem to forget that we are human. It seems
to always be about economics but it is being
human and overcoming difficulties that has
the real power.”
SHOP 2390
Shop 2390
| Formerly Video Ezy | 80 Maitland St, Narrabri
6792 2831
Open 6.30am - 8.30pm, Monday - Saturday | 7.00am - 8.30pm, Sunday
OPEN 7 DAYS
cheap milk
Fresh Bread
newspapers
Full range of
nsw lotteries
products
everyday special
3 new release dVd
rentals for $10
4 Caroline Way, Narrabri
6792 1203 | 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat-Sun
Narrabri
opeN 7 days
great value
pool produCts
get a SparkliNg reSult For leSS
Sunray Swimming pool
Salt 25kgs
Baracuda pool leaf
Scoop
Barracuda granular
Chlorine 10kgs
$7.95
$52.95
$16.99
November 2016 | iNarrabri Magazine | 19
Locally Owned