While funds raised through the Pink Up Your Region activites will help provide McGrath Breast Care Nurses for communities in need across Australia, the Margaret River region is lucky to have had the support of Michelle Rampant and Yarna Sargent for several years.
Michelle said it was the people that drew her to work and live in a rural community.
"I find the people really engaging and living in a rural setting myself helps me to understand some of the unique challenges faced by locals. It's also a really beautiful area with so much to do and see," she said.
"It's such an diverse community in the Margaret River Region.
"Every day, we interact with a diverse range of people including farmers, ex-city dwellers, young people, older generations and everything in-between. We are always working with interesting people and often need to advocate for care closer to home rather than in Perth."
While McGrath Breast Care Nurses are nurses in the traditional sense, they are also a whole lot more.
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Michelle said no two days are the same for her and Yarna.
"For the two of us in Bunbury, education and support plays a huge role in what we do.
"On any day, we can be involved in discussions with patients and their families on what to expect during surgery and post-op recovery, visit post-operative patients in the hospital and take part in discussions on patient care at the hospital.
"We also help explain surgery results to patients and make many phone calls of support as the area is too large to do home visits.
"We provide education on what to expect with chemotherapy and coordinate referrals to ensure they've been received by the appropriate health professionals," she said.
The workload may seem huge, but Michelle said that it is worth it to be able to go home at the end of the day knowing they've made a positive difference to someone with breast cancer and their family.
"If we can reduce stress and help someone to understand their treatments better or make the whole journey less daunting, then it is worthwhile.
"We recently had a lady come in who was completely shocked by her diagnosis and struggled to make decisions about her treatment. She was overwhelmed by the medical terminology and struggled to take in what her doctor was telling her.
"We talked this lady through her diagnosis a second time when she'd had time to process the fact that she had breast cancer and helped her understand her options. She's now feeling a lot more in control of her experience and it was really rewarding to see her progress," Michelle said.
Michelle said she would like more people to realise that they don't need a referral from a doctor and anyone affected by breast cancer can reach out.
"McGrath Breast Care Nurses offer a free service to both public and private patients, as well as their loved ones who may also need support."
Visit mcgrathfoundation.com.au for details.