02-08-2025
'Woo-woo': bewildering breast cancer case revealed for NRLW magic round
Sarah Withyman was diagnosed with breast cancer through a series of lucky events that she believes saved her life.
She's sharing her story to support the Newcastle-based Breast Cancer Trials organisation.
It's the charity partner for day one of the NRLW Magic Round at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Sarah's family is football mad.
Her three kids - Lennox, 14, Geogie, 11, and Alby, 8 - play for Valentine Devils.
Lennox is also with the Newcastle Knights junior program.
Sarah's niece Stevie Botham, 18, has been selected for the Australian Schoolgirls team.
And husband Adam played for the Knights reserve grade.
"We live and breathe football. There's no escaping it," Sarah said.
"My daughter tried to be a ballerina, but now she's a footy player.
"You can't walk down my hallway without getting tackled."
Sarah was diagnosed in June 2021 at age 38.
"To this day I'm bewildered by it. I was the healthiest and fittest I'd been in my life."
She said the strange events that led to her diagnosis were "woo-woo kind of stuff".
This included meeting a woman named Belinda because "my small child Alby kept going to her caravan while on holidays at Scotts Head".
Belinda, who had breast cancer, urged Sarah to get a small lump on her breast checked.
"Without this, I more than likely would not be here today," Sarah said.
The lump turned out to be shingles, which went away with treatment.
However, her doctor sent her for a mammogram and ultrasound "just to be safe".
"They found a tiny tumour, which was not related at all to the initial lump," she said.
"It was the most aggressive breast cancer. It was caught extremely early."
Her lymph nodes were clear, but she opted for "four rounds of chemo for insurance".
"I had a double mastectomy to seal the deal," she said.
"Now I have breast implants after a breast reconstruction. I absolutely hate them.
"They look all right, but I don't like the feel of them."
At the time, she thought "chop them off, get rid of them".
"Now I think I could have sat with it a bit longer," she said.
"It was a crazy time. We were in the middle of COVID. I thought the world was going to end."
Now 42, she has changed her perspective on life.
"I do crazy shit I wish I did when I was 20. I'm just like f--k it, I could die.
"It's probably a bit wild, but anything that petrifies me I give it a go.
"I used to look four times before crossing the road."
She's done a triathlon and climbed mountains. She swam 20 kilometres to raise $3000 for Breast Cancer Trials.
She does surf boat rowing, which was "so out of my comfort zone".
"I'd always been a bit shy, or not one to put myself out there. Now I don't care, whatever, judge away."
Nonetheless, she had "always had a very positive mindset".
"Some people give up and think 'poor me'. I've always been quite strong-minded. That helped massively."
The NRLW Magic Round, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, features six NRLW games.
Karen Price, CEO of Breast Cancer Trials, said "we want to raise awareness of how clinical trials can help people".
"Women participating in our clinical trials today, and those diagnosed in the future, will benefit from advances made possible by our work."
They focus on survival rates, improving treatments and preventing breast cancer in people who have the highest risk.
Safely reducing the amount of treatment and preventing cancer from returning were other aims.
"Our goals are strongly aligned to improvements in women's health, including participation in sport."
Visit
Sarah Withyman was diagnosed with breast cancer through a series of lucky events that she believes saved her life.
She's sharing her story to support the Newcastle-based Breast Cancer Trials organisation.
It's the charity partner for day one of the NRLW Magic Round at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Sarah's family is football mad.
Her three kids - Lennox, 14, Geogie, 11, and Alby, 8 - play for Valentine Devils.
Lennox is also with the Newcastle Knights junior program.
Sarah's niece Stevie Botham, 18, has been selected for the Australian Schoolgirls team.
And husband Adam played for the Knights reserve grade.
"We live and breathe football. There's no escaping it," Sarah said.
"My daughter tried to be a ballerina, but now she's a footy player.
"You can't walk down my hallway without getting tackled."
Sarah was diagnosed in June 2021 at age 38.
"To this day I'm bewildered by it. I was the healthiest and fittest I'd been in my life."
She said the strange events that led to her diagnosis were "woo-woo kind of stuff".
This included meeting a woman named Belinda because "my small child Alby kept going to her caravan while on holidays at Scotts Head".
Belinda, who had breast cancer, urged Sarah to get a small lump on her breast checked.
"Without this, I more than likely would not be here today," Sarah said.
The lump turned out to be shingles, which went away with treatment.
However, her doctor sent her for a mammogram and ultrasound "just to be safe".
"They found a tiny tumour, which was not related at all to the initial lump," she said.
"It was the most aggressive breast cancer. It was caught extremely early."
Her lymph nodes were clear, but she opted for "four rounds of chemo for insurance".
"I had a double mastectomy to seal the deal," she said.
"Now I have breast implants after a breast reconstruction. I absolutely hate them.
"They look all right, but I don't like the feel of them."
At the time, she thought "chop them off, get rid of them".
"Now I think I could have sat with it a bit longer," she said.
"It was a crazy time. We were in the middle of COVID. I thought the world was going to end."
Now 42, she has changed her perspective on life.
"I do crazy shit I wish I did when I was 20. I'm just like f--k it, I could die.
"It's probably a bit wild, but anything that petrifies me I give it a go.
"I used to look four times before crossing the road."
She's done a triathlon and climbed mountains. She swam 20 kilometres to raise $3000 for Breast Cancer Trials.
She does surf boat rowing, which was "so out of my comfort zone".
"I'd always been a bit shy, or not one to put myself out there. Now I don't care, whatever, judge away."
Nonetheless, she had "always had a very positive mindset".
"Some people give up and think 'poor me'. I've always been quite strong-minded. That helped massively."
The NRLW Magic Round, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, features six NRLW games.
Karen Price, CEO of Breast Cancer Trials, said "we want to raise awareness of how clinical trials can help people".
"Women participating in our clinical trials today, and those diagnosed in the future, will benefit from advances made possible by our work."
They focus on survival rates, improving treatments and preventing breast cancer in people who have the highest risk.
Safely reducing the amount of treatment and preventing cancer from returning were other aims.
"Our goals are strongly aligned to improvements in women's health, including participation in sport."
Visit
Sarah Withyman was diagnosed with breast cancer through a series of lucky events that she believes saved her life.
She's sharing her story to support the Newcastle-based Breast Cancer Trials organisation.
It's the charity partner for day one of the NRLW Magic Round at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Sarah's family is football mad.
Her three kids - Lennox, 14, Geogie, 11, and Alby, 8 - play for Valentine Devils.
Lennox is also with the Newcastle Knights junior program.
Sarah's niece Stevie Botham, 18, has been selected for the Australian Schoolgirls team.
And husband Adam played for the Knights reserve grade.
"We live and breathe football. There's no escaping it," Sarah said.
"My daughter tried to be a ballerina, but now she's a footy player.
"You can't walk down my hallway without getting tackled."
Sarah was diagnosed in June 2021 at age 38.
"To this day I'm bewildered by it. I was the healthiest and fittest I'd been in my life."
She said the strange events that led to her diagnosis were "woo-woo kind of stuff".
This included meeting a woman named Belinda because "my small child Alby kept going to her caravan while on holidays at Scotts Head".
Belinda, who had breast cancer, urged Sarah to get a small lump on her breast checked.
"Without this, I more than likely would not be here today," Sarah said.
The lump turned out to be shingles, which went away with treatment.
However, her doctor sent her for a mammogram and ultrasound "just to be safe".
"They found a tiny tumour, which was not related at all to the initial lump," she said.
"It was the most aggressive breast cancer. It was caught extremely early."
Her lymph nodes were clear, but she opted for "four rounds of chemo for insurance".
"I had a double mastectomy to seal the deal," she said.
"Now I have breast implants after a breast reconstruction. I absolutely hate them.
"They look all right, but I don't like the feel of them."
At the time, she thought "chop them off, get rid of them".
"Now I think I could have sat with it a bit longer," she said.
"It was a crazy time. We were in the middle of COVID. I thought the world was going to end."
Now 42, she has changed her perspective on life.
"I do crazy shit I wish I did when I was 20. I'm just like f--k it, I could die.
"It's probably a bit wild, but anything that petrifies me I give it a go.
"I used to look four times before crossing the road."
She's done a triathlon and climbed mountains. She swam 20 kilometres to raise $3000 for Breast Cancer Trials.
She does surf boat rowing, which was "so out of my comfort zone".
"I'd always been a bit shy, or not one to put myself out there. Now I don't care, whatever, judge away."
Nonetheless, she had "always had a very positive mindset".
"Some people give up and think 'poor me'. I've always been quite strong-minded. That helped massively."
The NRLW Magic Round, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, features six NRLW games.
Karen Price, CEO of Breast Cancer Trials, said "we want to raise awareness of how clinical trials can help people".
"Women participating in our clinical trials today, and those diagnosed in the future, will benefit from advances made possible by our work."
They focus on survival rates, improving treatments and preventing breast cancer in people who have the highest risk.
Safely reducing the amount of treatment and preventing cancer from returning were other aims.
"Our goals are strongly aligned to improvements in women's health, including participation in sport."
Visit
Sarah Withyman was diagnosed with breast cancer through a series of lucky events that she believes saved her life.
She's sharing her story to support the Newcastle-based Breast Cancer Trials organisation.
It's the charity partner for day one of the NRLW Magic Round at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Sarah's family is football mad.
Her three kids - Lennox, 14, Geogie, 11, and Alby, 8 - play for Valentine Devils.
Lennox is also with the Newcastle Knights junior program.
Sarah's niece Stevie Botham, 18, has been selected for the Australian Schoolgirls team.
And husband Adam played for the Knights reserve grade.
"We live and breathe football. There's no escaping it," Sarah said.
"My daughter tried to be a ballerina, but now she's a footy player.
"You can't walk down my hallway without getting tackled."
Sarah was diagnosed in June 2021 at age 38.
"To this day I'm bewildered by it. I was the healthiest and fittest I'd been in my life."
She said the strange events that led to her diagnosis were "woo-woo kind of stuff".
This included meeting a woman named Belinda because "my small child Alby kept going to her caravan while on holidays at Scotts Head".
Belinda, who had breast cancer, urged Sarah to get a small lump on her breast checked.
"Without this, I more than likely would not be here today," Sarah said.
The lump turned out to be shingles, which went away with treatment.
However, her doctor sent her for a mammogram and ultrasound "just to be safe".
"They found a tiny tumour, which was not related at all to the initial lump," she said.
"It was the most aggressive breast cancer. It was caught extremely early."
Her lymph nodes were clear, but she opted for "four rounds of chemo for insurance".
"I had a double mastectomy to seal the deal," she said.
"Now I have breast implants after a breast reconstruction. I absolutely hate them.
"They look all right, but I don't like the feel of them."
At the time, she thought "chop them off, get rid of them".
"Now I think I could have sat with it a bit longer," she said.
"It was a crazy time. We were in the middle of COVID. I thought the world was going to end."
Now 42, she has changed her perspective on life.
"I do crazy shit I wish I did when I was 20. I'm just like f--k it, I could die.
"It's probably a bit wild, but anything that petrifies me I give it a go.
"I used to look four times before crossing the road."
She's done a triathlon and climbed mountains. She swam 20 kilometres to raise $3000 for Breast Cancer Trials.
She does surf boat rowing, which was "so out of my comfort zone".
"I'd always been a bit shy, or not one to put myself out there. Now I don't care, whatever, judge away."
Nonetheless, she had "always had a very positive mindset".
"Some people give up and think 'poor me'. I've always been quite strong-minded. That helped massively."
The NRLW Magic Round, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, features six NRLW games.
Karen Price, CEO of Breast Cancer Trials, said "we want to raise awareness of how clinical trials can help people".
"Women participating in our clinical trials today, and those diagnosed in the future, will benefit from advances made possible by our work."
They focus on survival rates, improving treatments and preventing breast cancer in people who have the highest risk.
Safely reducing the amount of treatment and preventing cancer from returning were other aims.
"Our goals are strongly aligned to improvements in women's health, including participation in sport."
Visit
