IF anyone deserves an extra kiss and cuddle on Sunday morning, it’s Bendigo mother Michele King. “I have to celebrate Mother’s Day as if it’s the last, but still with the hope of getting to the next,” she said. Just days before her 30th birthday in September last year, Michele was diagnosed with stage four cancer. She was given six months to live. But eight months later, the mother of Harrison, Logan and Ryan is still fighting. With only eight per cent of people diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer living more than five years, Michele is determined to beat the odds. “I just want seven years, so Ryan is eight and he can remember me,” she said, only minutes after sliding on her stomach down the play equipment near her home with her youngest son. After having a tumour removed from her bowel last year, intensive chemotherapy and trial drug programs, Michele will have part of her lung removed next month to eliminate one of three remaining in her body. Two other tumours in the centre of her lungs are no longer showing signs of metabolic activity. The future after surgery remains uncertain, but in the meantime Michele is counting every day as a blessing. “Every day is a bonus and every day I feel well is an even bigger bonus,” she said. “In September last year it was all pretty surreal ... when my lung collapsed in October, from that point we realised at any point anything could happen; something could kill me before the cancer itself. “So now it’s the little things like reading stories, doing the school drop off ... if the kids ask me to do something, I stop and do it now. “Everything becomes a special moment, things you would normally have taken for granted.” Michele has also been spending time making scrapbooks of her family and keeping a journal. “I’m trying to get down a story of my life for my kids but sometimes I’ll be writing about something and get a bit teary and have to stop ... they just don’t understand how much I love them.” The process has also helped Michele recognise the important role she has played in her parents’ lives. “Mother’s day is all about being a mum, it makes you realise how much your mum and dad love you and how important you are as a person to somebody else.” Young Logan agrees. Like many youngsters this week, he has been working on a special surprise for his mum at kinder. “It’s got a white love heart on top,” he said. And you can be sure that white love heart will become a treasured part of this chapter in the King family story for years to come.
What an amazing story and to think I know that beautiful lady from when she was 10. She was amazing then as a friend growing up and will always remain an amazing person in my mind for many years to come, stay strong sweetheart, true love always beats all odds, xxx Happy mothers Day, xx your dear old friend from Townsville, xxx Jungle bunny, xx
