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I was diagnosed with aggressive cancer at 38 after one tell-tale symptom. I danced my way through chemo with my dad by my side - and then he had a heart attack
A Queensland mum coped with her gruelling chemo treatments through dance parties with her beloved dad after a shock breast cancer diagnosis at 38.
Shanon Nealon, 42, from Brisbane, was diagnosed five months after she found a hard yet 'non-sinister' lump on her breast and adorably grooved with her dad Joseph, 80, by her side at each session.
Their hilarious videos provided a welcome respite from the exhausting treatments and the duo built up a small online fandom who were inspired by their magnetic optimism.
However, just as Shanon was wrapping up her five-month-long chemo stint, Joseph suffered a massive heart attack. He believes he had a 'broken heart' caused by watching his daughter suffer through cancer.
Two years after her diagnosis, Shanon, an indigenous nurse, told FEMAIL she is in remission and helping other First Nations people with cancer battle disease. Thankfully, Joseph has recovered from his heart attack after surgery.
Brisbane mum Shanon Nealon (left) battled an aggressive breast cancer with the unwavering support of her dad Joseph (right), 80
Shanon found a lump on her breast but being a busy working mum and because her GP wasn't concerned it was anything sinister she didn't get it checked out for five months
One day in late 2020 while lying in bed, Shanon felt a small, hard and painless lump on the side of her left breast near her armpit.
Erring on the side of caution, Shanon went to see her GP who did not suspect the lump was cancer but gave her a referral to get an ultrasound.
'She said, "It's Christmas, you're going to struggle to get in anyway but don't worry, it's not urgent, it's probably nothing too sinister",' she recalled.
'Being a nurse, I Googled what breast cancer lumps felt like and it didn't feel like what was being described which is why I left it so long.'
Being a busy working mum and with the reassurance from her doctor the lump might not be anything suspicious, it wasn't until five months later when Shanon booked in with the specialist to investigate.
What was meant to be a precautionary scan turned into an eight-hour stint in the clinic which triggered alarm bells in Shanon's head.
'After the ultrasound, they did a mammogram which wasn't requested in the referral and got the radiologist for a biopsy. I knew right away that it was cancer,' she said.
Her fears were confirmed when she was given the news she had stage-three ER-positive, PR-positive and HER2-positive also known as triple-positive breast cancer in June 2021.
She found out she had triple-positive breast cancer in June 2021, the same disease her mum, Joy (left), had been diagnosed with just two years prior
It was the same disease her mum, Joy, had been diagnosed with just two years prior, but her cancer had progressed further.
'I thought it must be like what my mum had, she just had a lumpectomy, six weeks of radiation and the hormone blockers, that must be all I need,' she said.
Shanon spent that whole night researching triple-positive breast cancer so she knew what she was in store for.
'I've always hated surprises, I've always been the one who's found out about birthday and Christmas presents so doing that, I felt like I was a bit more prepared and not so naïve,' she said.
'I already knew from my research what my treatment was going to be. At that point, my biggest concern was am I going to lose my hair.'
Telling her dad Joseph about the diagnosis was heart-wrenching as he did not take the 'devastating' news well.
'The first few months after hearing the news I did not sleep, I would lay in bed at night crying at the possibility of losing her,' he said.
Four weeks later, when Shanon started chemotherapy at Mater Hospital Brisbane and the Mater Cancer Care Centre Joseph was her unwavering support and committed to being by her side every step of the way.
To pass the time during sessions, which could last up to eight hours, Shanon and Joseph started making fun videos of themselves dancing.
To pass the time during chemotherapy sessions, which could last up to eight hours, Shanon and Joseph started making fun videos of themselves dancing
The dances became a routine for the duo and an entertaining distraction when Shanon was feeling drained from the chemotherapy
'Initially, it was just for my Facebook and Instagram, perhaps as a reassurance to family and friends that I was doing well,' she said.
'I found it difficult trying to support myself through my treatment but also the need to reassure my children, family and friends that everything was going to be okay, when in fact I didn't know if it was going to be.'
The dances became a routine for the duo and an entertaining distraction when Shanon was feeling drained from the chemotherapy.
'Some days I'd be in the chair, with no energy, I'm sore, I'm hurting, I don't feel well and dad would ask, "Are we going to do a dance today?" and I'd say, "No I don't feel like it",' she said.
'Then I'd feel guilty because I thought he was going to be worried so I'd get up and do it but then I'd feel better after.'
However, just a few weeks before Shanon was due to finish chemotherapy, Joseph suffered a life-threatening heart attack and had to have open-heart surgery.
The chemotherapy didn't shrink Shanon's cancer however after a partial mastectomy to remove the lump and a short stint of radiation she is now in remission
'I still believe to this day that the heart attack was from a broken heart watching Shanon fight this disease,' Joseph said.
'From the day she was diagnosed and to this day now, I say a prayer for her every night.'
Shanon said Joseph was 'knocked with a bit of confusion' for a while after his surgery but ultimately recovered quickly and was back by her side for her last chemo appointment.
The chemotherapy didn't shrink Shanon's cancer however after a partial mastectomy to remove the lump and a short stint of radiation she is now in remission.
Joseph said his 'prayers were answered' when he found out his daughter had beaten the disease and 'treasures' the 'special' memories they made dancing together through chemotherapy.
However, Shanon doesn't feel like she's out of the woods as she knows her cancer has a high reoccurrence rate.
However, Shanon doesn't feel like she's out of the woods as she knows her cancer has a high reoccurrence rate
Shanon is urging women not to delay if they find a lump even if they or their doctor thinks it could be 'nothing' and to go for regular breast checks which are free for women over 40
'I see my oncologist every six months and my breast surgeon every 12 months. I had a follow up with the breast surgeon two weeks ago and next Tuesday I've got to have a biopsy of a lump on my breast,' she said.
'It's just going through all that trauma again although I think now that I've been through it I'm less anxious. I'm rolling with it, there's nothing you can do, it's going to be what it's going to be.'
Shanon is using her experience to help support Indigenous people going through cancer by working with researchers from The University of Queensland as the First Nations Cancer Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
She is helping Indigenous patients access adequate treatment, especially those who live remotely, and feel supported through their cancer journeys.
'In Queensland, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are almost twice as likely to die after being diagnosed with cancer and have significantly lower five-year survival than other Queenslanders,' she said.
'I know what it feels like to undergo cancer treatment as a patient, as a nurse, and as a First Nations person.'
She also urges Australian women not to delay if they find a lump even if they or their doctor thinks it could be 'nothing' and to go for regular breast checks which are free for women over 40.
