Rural hero helping women
West Australian nurse Jo devotes her life to helping fighters like Melanie kick cancer to the kerb for good
Jo Ramsell is a woman on a mission. Armed with a “get on with it” attitude she credits to her country upbringing, the committed nurse devotes her life to tackling breast cancer in her remote hometown of Esperance, on the south coast of WA .
Her work would be important anywhere – but it’s particularly crucial in Esperance where, like many rural and regional areas in Australia, people diagnosed with cancer have lower survival rates than those in major cities.
“I don’t always recognise the name when someone new gets diagnosed, but often I do, and it makes me very sad – especially if the cancer has metastasised, or spread,” says Jo, 39, who’s been a Mcgrath breast cancer nurse in the area for four years.
Regional support
The Shire of Esperance, a sevenhour drive south-east of Perth, has a population of just over 14,000.
While there’s no one reason cancer has a higher fatality rate in regional and remote places, research suggests it may be due to isolation, delayed diagnosis, and a lack of healthcare services.
Additionally, patients often endure huge travel times or are forced to relocate for treatment.
When Woman’s Day arrives in town, Jo is checking in on grandmother-of-five Melanie Haywood, 49.
It’s not your typical nurse-patient appointment – more a catchup between two good friends.
“She listens to my fears, then wipes away my tears,” explains Melanie, who says she’s opened up more to Jo than even her husband Steven over the past seven months.
“My husband is devastated by what I’m going through, but he’s a man of few words.
“There are times when I’ve had very dark thoughts about my future, but Jo just has a way of putting your mind at ease. I’d be lost without her.”
During Jo’s time in the role, the hard-working mum-of-two has supported 40 families, many of them travelling hundreds of kilometres to see her.
Tragically, she’s lost five from the dozens she’s cared for. Each time it’s been devastating.
“I get particularly down if a patient who is terminal has kids, and is a similar age to me. I can’t help but think, ‘It could’ve been me’,” admits Jo, who organises services like home cleaning and Meals on Wheels for her patients.
“But overall I love my job. Whenever a new referral walks into my office and says, ‘Oh thank goodness, it’s a familiar face,’ I know I’m making a real difference.”
Lean on me
Thankfully for Melanie, she’s one of the luckier ones. A visit to the doctor for an unrelated problem led to her cancer being diagnosed in its early stages. “The big toe of my right foot saved my right boob!” she jokes. The early diagnosis meant she’s needed relatively few long journeys to Perth to have treatment, but she does have to make frequent visits to the cancer unit in Esperance Hospital. Mum-of-three Melanie says it can be particularly hard dealing with cancer in a small town like Esperance, because it’s difficult to keep your business private.
“How do you keep it a secret when you start to look and dress differently?” says Melanie, who eventually told a couple of people at work about her treatment.
“I wore makeup when I went out, because I didn’t want to be seen as ‘the girl who looks like a cancer patient’, but it didn’t stop the whispers – which I didn’t like,” she continues.
Today, with Jo by her side for support, Melanie has successfully navigated her treatment. But not even her friend’s soothing words and compassion could stop the tears when she lost her hair.
“I was driving along with the car window open and my hair was leaving my scalp and flying out the window,” remembers the stoic survivor.
“That afternoon, I burst into tears as my daughter shaved it all off. It was so difficult because as women we identify ourselves by our hair.”
A big hug marks the end of the meeting, then the cheerful carer is on her way.
“My job really is rewarding,” says Jo, who adds that she gets a kick out of seeing her former patients in every aisle when she goes to the supermarket. “There’s a powerful sense of community down here.”
‘Jo listens to my fears, then wipes away my tears. I’d be lost without her’