Shock diagnosis for prominent figure
“YOU have cancer” are the devastating words no one ever expects to hear and when they do, life is never the same.
So when Indea Weisfelt found herself sitting in a doctor’s office hearing those words over what she believed was a non-threatening lump in her breast, she said everything “just went numb”.
The mum-of-three had just finished breastfeeding her youngest child when she discovered the lump and during an appointment for a separate medical reason, she decided to raise it with her doctor.
“I was just lucky I had an amazing doctor who took it seriously,” she said.
“I have no boobs and it sounds so silly now but I didn’t think someone with small boobs could even get breast cancer.”
When Indea, who is a former radiologist went for her ultrasound, her mind was put at ease, as it didn’t appear to be anything sinister, but the biopsy results revealed her worst fears – the lump contained cancerous cells.
With no family history of breast cancer and few symptoms, the news came as a huge shock.
Forced to make a decision and with time on her side, the 34-year-old opted for a double mastectomy and since her second operation last month, she has been put in remission.
Despite the good news, Indea is all too aware of the risk and understands she will need to have regular checkups as a result of the health scare.
But the most inspiring part of Indea’s journey is her positive outlook which has never wavered, even under circumstances that would make the most strongest people crumble.
“I had bad days and I gave myself permission to feel all the feels, but I just tried not to let those dark thoughts enter my mind,” she said.
“I’ve got three kids I just forced myself not to go there – I just kept telling myself there was no other option but to get through this because my kids needed their mum.”
The prominent business owner of The Farm Shop Toowoomba is well-known for her popular venture which supplies fresh produce straight from the paddocks of farmers.
Choosing to look at the silver lining of an otherwise heartbreaking situation, the Toowoomba woman is now encouraging others to advocate for and prioritise their health.
“The one positive has been the number of women who have felt comfortable to reach out to me and share their personal journeys or fears,” Ms Weisfelt said.
“I’ve heard so many stories where women are told to wait until they turn 40 to have a lump looked at, but if I had have waited that long, I would have been in a hell of a different situation.
“You tend to put yourself on the back burner because of work and kids but you can’t look after anyone if you don’t look after yourself and if you fall, everything else will too.”
Indea said she was full of gratitude for the support received from loved ones and the Toowoomba community.
“Toowoomba isn’t my home town and I only moved here six years ago, but people I barely know really rallied around us and I’m just blown away by all the support.”