Tinetti: Breast cancer awareness can save lives
Jan Tinetti wouldn’t wish a breast cancer diagnosis on anyone, yet she doesn’t regret her personal experience.
The former school principal turned MP and Cabinet minister is now in remission after being diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2019.
On Friday, she will speak as part of a Breast Cancer Foundation NZ pink ribbon breakfast being held in Tauranga to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research.
The 8am breakfast at Oscar and Otto will include a silent auction for a Weston Frizzel artwork of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, signed by Ardern — one of only two in existence.
“I get checked up about every nine months, I just had one a couple of weeks ago actually. I’m doing okay,” Tinetti said of her recovery.
She said she felt she was “incredibly lucky”.
“They got it early enough. They got it before it had spread as well.”
While the biggest battle at the time was physical, she still waged the mental battle daily. “Anytime you get something like a little itch or and bit of pain, which is actually quite normal, you can worry [if it’s cancer returning]. You have to learn to cope with that and live with that.”
A mum-of-two, Tinetti said she had to learn to look after herself first, which was a challenge because “I’ve always put everyone above myself”.
During her cancer battle, she turned to friend John Fletcher, who runs mindfulness classes, for help. “That’s been my saviour. It’s helped me learn to meditate and just be calm. Any time I get stressed I actually go and spend some time breathing and calm myself down. Honestly, I wonder why I didn’t do this years ago — putting myself first has been a big change in my life.”
Tinetti said she usually never worries much about past events or the future and this attitude was reflected in her view of her cancer journey. “It was horrific. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on to anyone but I don’t regret it. It’s happened and I’m okay with that. That part of my life was meant to be. You can’t change what happened in the past, you can only look forward.”
She hopes others fighting a similar journey can take that message on board and that her story will help educate people that not all breast cancers start with a lump.
“I never had a lump. People don’t understand that cancer can come in different forms. The only way that came up for me was through a mammogram.
“That’s why it’s so important for me to tell my story and if someone is diagnosed, it’s not the end of the world. There’s hope out there. There’s a wonderful group of women who have been through it and will welcome you.”
Pink ribbon breakfast organiser Heidi Tidmarsh said Tinetti’s story was one of courage and survival.
“About 13 years ago my mother died of breast cancer so I’ve always been keen on this particular charity.”
Tidmarsh said she has also had a couple of scares. “It’s important to let people know it can be nothing, just get checked.”
She hoped the breakfast would raise plenty of money for breast cancer research. More than $1000 has already been raised via Tidmarsh’s pink ribbon breakfast page, via the Breast Cancer Foundation website.
I never had a lump . . . the only way that came up for me was through a mammogram. MP Jan Tinetti