Giving back after cancer fight
Fiona Boyce seemed to have it all early last year, poised for a law career after retiring at 25 from the game that took her to the London Olympics.
But within four months of starting work, the former Hockeyroo's world was upended when small lumps in her neck were diagnosed as a rare form of cancer.
For weeks she was baffled by severe night sweats and exhaustion so overwhelming she fell into bed by 7pm - symptoms she later found out were textbook for Hodgkin lymphoma.
"I was quite sick one weekend so I decided to go to my doctor to check it out and by the time I went, small lumps had come up on the side of my neck," she said.
"I was sent off for three biopsies which all came back inconclusive, so I went into surgery where doctors took out part of a lymph node that confirmed it was Hodgkin lymphoma.
"It was very confronting and a tough time, but in a way it was a relief to know what was making me feel so sick when I had always felt so healthy."
Tests revealed a stage 2B disease, which meant it was in two groups of lymph nodes, and she started six months of chemotherapy which ended early this year.
She remembers mostly the tiredness and nausea a few days after each treatment, but said it could have been worse.
Her hair has grown back and she admits no one would know looking at her that she had just fought off cancer.
Now 27, she has been clear since January and is slowly getting back to normal.
She credits her recovery to support from her family, friends and the hockey world, but particularly her husband John, whom she married last month.
"I still get tired quite easily and I have to be careful but I'm getting more and more energy as time goes on and I'm back working four days a week," she said.
"Having cancer has changed me and stopped me being such a perfectionist and I know now that doing your best is all you can ask. It's made me grateful for all the good things I have."
Part of her new mindset includes wanting to give back something to SolarisCare, a free service which offers complementary therapies to cancer patients to help them through gruelling treatment.
She agreed to be ambassador for the 2015 SolarisCare Red Sky Ride, a major fundraising cycling event.
"I had massage, reflexology and counselling during my treatment and it really helped to have somewhere to go where I could do something nice for myself while I was going through a pretty yucky time," she said.
"I want to give back so other people get the comfort and support I had."
For more information, go to redskyride.org.au
