Pyalong woman Cathy Koning has beaten the odds, surviving acute myeloid leukaemia and finding a new lease on life, even writing a book on the subject.
AML is a destructive blood cancer that has a five-year survival rate of just 26 per cent in Australia.
There is no test for AML, and according to the Leukaemia Foundation, four in five Australians are not confident in recognising the symptoms of blood cancer, leaving many at risk of a life-threatening delayed diagnosis.
Friday, April 21, was Acute Myeloid Leukaemia World Awareness Day.
When Ms Koning initially went to her GP almost a decade ago with bruising and a general feeling of being unwell, her doctor did not order a blood test and her symptoms were put down to ageing.
“I was nearly 60. I noticed I was much more tired than usual. I have needle phobia from childhood medical experiences, so I was never the first one to line up for blood tests or medical procedures,” she said.
Her illness continued and she was misdiagnosed again, this time with a UTI.
Her condition continued to deteriorate until she finally received a blood test. Upon receiving the results, Ms Koning was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night, near death.
“By this time I could hardly walk, I was so tired,” she said.
Ms Koning was diagnosed with AML, an aggressive form of leukaemia that crowds the blood with immature white blood cells.
She described those first days in hospital as like a cyclone, full of medical tests and emotional turmoil.
“I had to get my head across this because I had to face the fact I might die and I thought ‘geez, I love my life but I’ve got a lot more to do,” she said.
Ms Koning’s journey to remission was long and not always straightforward. She underwent two rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.
She also suffered sepsis and had complications as a result of the medications, including shingles, diabetes and issues with lung function.
The support of her friends and family got her through this incredibly difficult time.
“I have all the support in the world with my husband, family and friends, that was incredibly important,” Ms Koning said.
“The worst part was the tiredness, but you listen to your body and slowly but surely you get over it.”
Having reached remission, Ms Koning understands better than most the precious and finite nature of life, and now she is living life to the fullest.
“I’ve got this philosophy — you take the moment. You are here for a short time and you need to make use of it,” she said.
Ms Koning has been with her partner since 1975 and the couple decided to tie the knot in 2012.
She has also made time to follow her passions, including travelling overseas multiple times and gardening.
Perhaps most impressive is that since reaching remission, Ms Koning has written three books, including one about beating cancer titled Life Blood.
The self-published author’s book is available online on websites such as Amazon and Booktopia.
She said that although books about cancer were not light reading or the most popular genre, her hope was it could be helpful for others facing a battle with leukaemia.
“Everyone's affected by cancer, we all know someone or are affected by it ourselves,” she said.
“I think it’s useful if you have been diagnosed you can look and say ‘well, here is one person’s approach’.”
By sharing her story, Ms Koning hopes to raise awareness of the illness and encourage those with symptoms to be persistent in seeking a diagnosis.
“If you are feeling ill and it’s not your normal, don’t ignore it," she said.
“If it really stands out, go and have a check-up, a blood test. We have fantastic medical resources, you will get looked after.”