There could not be a more suitable person than Kylie Jones to serve as an ambassador for the Mother’s Day Classic, the iconic annual fundraising run for breast cancer.
In her own words, without events such as the Mother’s Day Classic, she “wouldn’t be here”.
In 2007 Mrs Jones was first diagnosed with breast cancer while living in Adelaide.
She was just 32, with two sons both just three years old.
“I was very lucky it didn’t spread, so I didn’t have to have chemo. I did have six weeks of radiotherapy, so I thought time to put that behind me and move on with my life,” Mrs Jones said.
The following year she moved to Greater Shepparton to be closer to her parents.
“I got into triathlons and had done my first half Ironman in Shepparton,” Mrs Jones said.
“In 2012 I was just about to start training for my second, and I thought I had another lump, so I had an ultrasound.”
Her worst fears were confirmed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time.
“It was a really difficult time for me mentally, I felt like I just couldn’t go through all of that again,” Mrs Jones said.
“I was still only young, but I opted to have a double mastectomy (breast-removal surgery).”
She was put on hormone treatments and completed another half Ironman.
Mrs Jones said triathlons were an escape for her during the difficult time, offering something to focus on other than her diagnosis.
After her surgery, she began training for her third Ironman event, once more ready to close the chapter on her cancer.
“I thought I’d done everything I could, I was fit and healthy,” Mrs Jones said.
“But in 2018 I was diagnosed again.”
After beating it twice, she had breast cancer for a third time.
Her oncologist laid out two options for her.
She would have to get monthly injections well into her 50s, or she could get an oophorectomy (ovary-removal surgery).
“I was put back on to hormone treatment, I did finish my Ironman and then the following year I had my ovaries out because my breast cancer had been oestrogen-positive, and that basically puts me into early menopause,” Mrs Jones said.
“I’d had my kids, and I did not want to have to do those awful injections.”
Mrs Jones has been on a 16-year journey battling cancer and is five years clear this month.
“I’m still on hormone treatment at the moment, but I’m seeing my oncologist this month so fingers crossed I get the all-clear and am able to come off my hormone treatment,” she said.
She has been participating in the Mother’s Day Classic for years and is now an ambassador for the event.
“I’m a three-times breast cancer survivor myself, so it’s obviously an event that’s very close to me, and I’m also a mum,” Mrs Jones said.
“The Mother’s Day Classic is something we’ve done for many years, my mum comes down as well, it’s important to me because it brings attention to breast cancer research.
“Without research, I wouldn’t be here today, and really just awareness and early detection, I’m a big advocate of that.
“Events like these really bring it to everybody’s attention; women and men should know their bodies and know themselves — if anything doesn’t seem right, get a second opinion and get it checked.”
Mrs Jones won’t be at the Mother’s Day Classic this year, she will be participating in Ultraman, a three-day endurance marathon.
“My mum will be there with her friend, she goes every year, so I’m looking forward to being back with her next year,” she said.
Mrs Jones said the event was a wonderful chance to make breast cancer victims feel supported and bring the community together.
“They call it a journey for a reason. I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve had family and close friends that have helped me through it, but there are people who don’t necessarily have that support,” she said.
“We’ve got wonderful breast cancer nurses in Shepparton who help me run a support group once a month and we’re very lucky to have an amazing oncology centre here.
“Events like these are so important to be able to raise awareness and funds so we can see our children grow, so the survivor rates grow.
“As a mum, my boys were very young when I was first diagnosed, so pretty much their entire life has been me battling this awful disease, and it certainly really hit home later on when they really understood what was going on.”
Mrs Jones said she was proud to be an ambassador and hoped to continue in her role in the coming years.
She encouraged everyone to get down to the Mother’s Day Classic on Sunday morning, regardless of whether they wanted to run.
“Obviously, yes, the funds raised are incredibly important, but just people being aware — if that saves one person’s life, it’s all worth it,” Mrs Jones said.
The Mother’s Day Classic kicks off at 9am on Sunday, May 14 at Victoria Park Lake.