Tarn & Pat

Patrick higgins

Hi my name is Patrick Higgins, proud husband of Rebecah and proud father of 2, Alexander and Leilah 

I work at Bunnings in the role of coordinator of trade. Last year the Cancer Council came to work, to do checks on the tradies and they were discussing the Stars of Tamworth. I said I would be greatly interested in doing it, not because I can dance (usually beverages are needed to get me on the dance floor) but because of my family’s history with the horrible disease.  

In 1994 my father Garry, aged 34, was diagnosed with bowl cancer and given 10 months to live. I was 8 years old, my brother was 6 and my sister was 4. Its was pretty hard hearing the news that someone you have always looked up to was in for a tough fight and may not make it. We lived in Broken Hill at the time, so my dad spent many months in and out of Adelaide hospital, having surgery to remove the mass that was found and many months of chemo and radiation. I still remember to this day what he said to the doctor when he said you have 10 months to live “Stuff that! I have 3 kids I need to be here for them.” I am proud to say he is now 63 and still going strong today.

I have lost one nan to breast cancer, had my other nan battle two bouts of breast cancer, lost my pop to prostate cancer, lost an uncle to throat cancer and lost an aunty to cervical cancer. I also currently have a cousin who is fighting cancer now. Due to my family history every few years I get screened as early detection is the key! I strongly encourage people if you find a lump or think something isn’t right, go get it checked. It could be the difference.

So I guess the two main reasons I’m doing this is one for my own family and the pain they have endured watching family members battle this horrible disease. The second is to raise some money to help all the other countless families that are experiencing this fight. Stay strong and let’s kick cancers butt – one twirl at a time!!

Tarns story

So it’s taken me a while to understand why I want to help raise money for cancer personally…  not just because it’s a great cause and helps so many but also to raise awareness for women to have your Pap smears!

In 2019 I had a dodgy Pap smear and had to have a biopsy followed by a colposcopy. 

My test showed positive to HPV 16/18 and 3 lesions in my cervix…

These days teenagers are able to have immunisations against HPV but… I’m old… and we didn’t have that immunisation “in my day” 😂

So off I went for my biopsy… extremely embarrassed and worried…. I was 39… what the jeebers…. 

I had never had a dodgy pap before… but my lovely nurse at my Drs surgery was truly my saving grace… so kind and supportive… to this day she does not know how much her kindness helped me through such a traumatic time and I can’t not thank her enough ❤️ 

… but… anyways… off to the clinic I goes …. 

once I arrived at the clinic  my lovely gynaecologist told me they see at least 3 women a day for the same thing… 3!!!! 

This settled my tiny mind somewhat… I wasn’t alone and many women were in the same boat as me…. But I had never heard anyone talk about it… 

Biopsy Result…. CIN1 possibly CIN2 lesions… so off I go for my colposcopy and into surgery a few weeks later to have these removed… 

side note… best sleep ever!!!! Sandwiches have never tasted so good. 

Turns out, out of my 3 lesions I had CIN 1, CIN 2 and CIN 3…. Next step after that is cervical cancer… to say that blew my mind would be an understatement… 🤯

But… throughout all of this… the support from my family and my children has been second to none… I’m kind of an open book so I don’t hide any of my experiences good or bad… This is an experience I shared with my children… to my daughters…. Have your Pap smears a few minutes of discomfort could save your life… and to my sons talk about Pap smears with your partners, make them feel comfortable about it… it could save their lives… one of the most proudest moments in my life was when I heard my son speaking to his friend that is a girl telling her… get a Pap smear… that was a point in my life I knew I had done something right as a mumma ❤️ 

Happy to say that after 3 Pap smears I am on the all clear to go to to one every 5 years…. To be honest though… imma stick to yearly checks… it can literally save my life! I’m a grandma now… I’m definitely going to be here to see my grand babies ❤️

#getyourpapon