4,500 Turn Out for Canberra Breast Cancer Fundraiser

When Nicole Speirs started checking her breasts each month, she didn't expect to find anything wrong. But at 32, with no family history or risk factors, a self-exam revealed a lump that changed everything.

An ultrasound and biopsy in December 2024 confirmed cancer in her lymph nodes. The diagnosis came just two months into a new relationship, forcing difficult conversations and turning her entire world upside down.

Her mother took a sabbatical to attend treatments. Her new partner stayed by her side through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. After aggressive treatment, Nicole is now cancer-free.

"It brought everything into perspective," she said. "My relationships are much richer and much stronger."

This Sunday, Nicole joined 4,500 people along Lake Burley Griffin for Canberra's Mother's Day Classic, a charity run and walk raising funds for breast and ovarian cancer research. The event marks its 20th year in Canberra, one of more than 90 held nationwide.

The results speak volumes. Since the Mother's Day Classic began in Sydney and Melbourne in 1998, it's raised over $50 million nationally and funded 100 research projects. During that time, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer has climbed to 93%.

The Ripple Effect

The funding does more than advance science. It tackles a problem Nicole experienced firsthand: waiting months for diagnostic scans. When she first tried booking an ultrasound, providers quoted months-long waits. She kept calling until she found an earlier appointment, a persistence that likely saved her life.

"With breast cancer, the earlier detection, the better your outcome," she said. Many women she's met face the same scanning delays, making fundraising for equipment and awareness crucial.

Organizers now want to achieve similar progress for ovarian cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of just 49%. The disease is harder to detect and often found in late stages, making early detection research critical.

Canberra chairwoman Leeanne Turner said the city "punches above its weight" in fundraising, with numbers growing steadily over two decades. The community shows up for mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends fighting these diseases.

Nicole's message is simple: pick one day each month and check your breasts. "I know that's a thing we hear and we don't do," she acknowledged. "But you'll notice the changes and then you can do something about it."

Even without risk factors, cancer can happen, and catching it early makes all the difference.