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Summer Inspiration

Incredible Women and Their Community Quest: Jenni Eyles and the BCNA

How would you react, the moment you were told you had cancer? And then what...? She's not only fighting for life, she's giving to others and making a real difference.

As women, we do so much but don't blow our own trumpets enough; and we should. Stuck in the daily grind also means we don't often stand back and ask ourselves what really matters and don't think we can make a difference. But we can. Many do and don't realise it. This is our first of many Inspiring Women - Community Quest posts. Jenni is the woman who made us stand up and listen and to do something. She didn't mean to, and until now, wouldn't know that she did.

Meet Jenni Eyles. Amazing, brave, generous, modest and so many other things. A mum from Adelaide on her quest to make a difference. Swap For A Cause - fundraising for the BCNA.

This is Jenni's story...

"There always seem to be fundraiser happening on any given week, everywhere we turn someone is asking us to donate to 'their' cause. It's not until you are personally touched by disease or tragedy that 'your' cause becomes important.

In Australia 1 in 2 people will receive a cancer diagnosis and 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer... I was one of those women.

In September 2012 at the age of 41 I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, it wasn't in our plan and my diagnosis has had a far reaching affect on family and friends. I have had a mastectomy, 6 surgeries, 6 months of chemotherapy and 32 rounds of radiotherapy. In December I will have a second mastectomy and a double reconstruction.

Support is paramount in ensuring a woman diagnosed with breast cancer gets through treatment with a smile on her face and a healthy attitude. It's tough going and 'cheerleaders' are important, friends and family can wrap their arms around you but who do women turn to for information and technical support?

I turned to the 'Breast Cancer Network Australia'. BCNA support and inform women diagnosed with breast cancer. They advocate, provide comprehensive information in the form of 'My Journey' packs, produce a monthly newsletter-' The Beacon' and provide women with 'My Care Kits'. BCNA has online forums where women can go for support, you can even go to their website and order literature.

They simply do a darned good job... An important one!
So for me BCNA is 'my' cause... The one I choose to raise funds for.

This year with my husband, two teenage boys and a dear friend by my side I walked the 4.2kms in the Adelaide Mothers Day classic, it was tough as I was nearing the end of 6 months of chemo but we raised just under $3000, now I'm raising funds again. In October my good friend Mehgan and I are hosting our 'SWAP FOR A CAUSE' fundraiser.

Mehgan's mum has fought and won the breast cancer battle twice, so we are both passionate about our cause.

On the night, ladies pay a nominated donation at the door, and drop their clothing donations in the 'swap room', they then join other like minded ladies for champagne and nibbles. Behind the scenes our helpers will hang all clothing and display all accessories ready for the swap.

The swap goes for 1 hour and there are 'house rules'. After the swap we will have speakers, give out information and show women how to check their breasts. Then it's onto auctions. We are so grateful to the businesses who have come on board and generously donated goods and services for us to auction. We hope it creates a frenzy of bidding! At the end if the night any left over clothing goes to a local charity, we get to put much needed $$ into BCNA's bank account and a roomful of ladies will head home with new clothing, prizes and a smile on their soul.

Our aim this year is to raise $5000... Next year want to do it bigger and better. Exciting isn't it?

I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about it... Then I realised I am somebody!

Light n love.
Jenni. "

Join Jenni.

Download the one page pdf below that talks more about Jenni's Swap For a Cause.

Hop on over to her Facebook Page.
Jenni's Facebook Page: Your Life's Wish

She's also a Dry July participant and talks about her personal experience on her treatment journey. See the video below. Always thinking of others. Amazing.

If you want to get involved with a BCNA event near you. Here is a link to their events.

Here's to you Jenni. x.

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If you know of any inspiring women that need their trumpets blown then please contact us and let us know. We'll put them in the spotlight on our blog with the other "Inspiring Women - Community Quest" posts; to spread the word and boost support for their personal quests and cause.

Anita & The Girls @
Sequins and Sand

File download:

Download File: letter of intro latest.pdf (PDF 274.7 kb)