DESPITE feeling fit and fabulous, exactly one week after Michelle Nelson  completed the 10km run in last year’s Canberra Mother’s Day Classic, she found a lump, deep in her left breast.

Having lost five kilograms during the course of getting fit, mother-of-two Michelle, 48, thought that the changes were a result of exercise and she waited until the end of the week to take herself off to her GP.

“The shape and size of the mass was more elongated than a round lump and presented as a probable cyst, but I got a biopsy just to be sure. When it came back as an invasive, aggressive, stage-three cancer the GP was as shocked as I was,” says Michelle.

Early detection meant it hadn’t spread to the lymph nodes.

Undaunted, Michelle and husband Mick went to a winter ball one Saturday in June to celebrate her achievement as the “2014 lean machine” for her Tuggeranong gym. Four days later she was having surgery.

Michelle attributes her quick recovery from a lateral mastectomy to an active sense of humour, her fitness and the positivity that surrounded her. She recalls waking up in her hospital room after surgery, still feeling the effects of the anaesthetic, only to discover that her son, Jordan, had placed latex gloves on her feet.

“I clearly remember being amazed that I had developed chicken feet during the course of surgery. I’m still not sure if they were laughing at me or with me,” she says.

Admitting it was a “bit of a challenge” Michelle continued her fitness training which included sessions at the gym throughout her 12 weeks of chemotherapy.

“Some days were definitely harder than others, but I set myself small goals each day which helped,” she says.

Six months after her final chemo treatment, Michelle says it took its toll on her body and her confidence, but she remained determined to get fit again.

And this weekend she will run the Mother’s Day Classic 5km run with husband Mick, and daughter Gemma.

“Even though the cancer journey was a bad experience, I went through it in a wonderful way because I was the fittest I have ever been and was surrounded by positive people at all different levels from family and friends to my personal trainer,” says Michelle.

“This journey has changed my outlook on life. I always tried to be positive, but now I feel that life has given me permission to look forward to the future and make some life plans that I simply wasn’t brave enough to make prior to my cancer diagnosis.

“Now I just want to get the word out there that breast cancer can happen to anyone. In fact I am the first person in my family to be diagnosed with cancer. Early detection is your best chance of beating this condition. “There are some fantastic people out there that can help you through this.

“The doctors, nurses and specialists are so supportive when you need it most.”

Since it began in 1998, the Mother’s Day Classic has contributed $24.3 million to the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s research program. In that time breast cancer five-year survival rates have increased to nearly 90 per cent.

Money raised through registration and fundraising supports research into new treatments, diagnostic techniques and, of course, the end goal of finding a cure.

The Canberra Mother’s Day Classic takes place at Rond Terrace from 8am on May 10. Register for the 10km or 5km run or walk at mothersdayclassic.com.au

To support Michelle and raise money for breast cancer research go to her page at “find a fundraiser” at mdc.mothersdayclassic.com.au

Bina Brown is the volunteer media rep for the Canberra Mother’s Day Classic.