A Mother’s Journey Through Breast Cancer and Advocacy
Bec Quartermaine, a mother of three from Adelaide, was diagnosed with breast cancer just before her 37th birthday. This came only four months after giving birth to her youngest child, making it an incredibly challenging time for her and her family.
“It was a really tough time,” Bec, now 38, shared with Today. “Breast cancer doesn’t run in our family, so it caught us completely by surprise.”
The diagnosis came unexpectedly when Bec discovered a lump under her arm while showering with her four-month-old baby. At first, she hoped it was just a milk duct related to breastfeeding. However, she decided to take the precautionary step and visited her doctor.
Her doctor was equally cautious and immediately sent her for testing. Shortly after, Bec received the heartbreaking news that she had breast cancer. Further tests revealed that she carries the BRCA gene mutation, which significantly increases the risk of breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer.
This genetic discovery allowed Bec to have her daughters tested for the BRCA mutations. Fortunately, they were all cleared, providing her with a sense of peace for the future.
Bec and her husband, Jeremy, are parents to three daughters—Lily, seven, Annabelle, four, and Paige, two. Bec expressed her gratitude that genetic testing confirmed all three girls are BRCA clear. She has since completed her breast cancer treatment.
However, Bec is part of a growing trend of breast cancer patients diagnosed under the age of 40. According to Cancer Australia, approximately 1,035 women under 40 were diagnosed in 2025.
“I’ve met so many people who have managed their situation in different ways, that felt right for them,” Bec said. “There’s no right or wrong way, but for our family, we felt it was important to be as honest as possible with our girls and looking back now, I’m so glad we did it this way.”
It was Bec’s eldest daughter, Lily, who played a significant role in supporting her during treatment. “Obviously the entire situation was a lot for me to go through, but it was equally monumental for Jeremy and our girls as well,” Bec added.
As the eldest, Lily was included in the process in an age-appropriate manner. “We made an effort to include Lily as much as possible, in an age-appropriate way, but obviously we took her feelings into account,” Bec explained.
For instance, Lily wasn’t comfortable with Bec not wearing a wig when she was around her friends or out of the house. “I respected that as I wanted her to feel safe,” Bec said. “But we set boundaries that at home it was OK for me to be wig-free, as that was more comfortable for me, even if that took some adjusting for her.”
Bec and Lily are now leading the ‘Choose Her Story’ campaign in collaboration with Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and Bakers Delight. From today (May 14), Bakers Delight will be selling their popular Pink Buns as part of their annual fundraising campaign for BCNA.
Pink Buns cost $2 each and $9.50 for a pack of six, with 100% of proceeds going to BCNA. “One of the greatest joys in this chapter for me is that my eldest daughter, my seven-year-old Lily, is proudly involved in the Pink Bun campaign with me,” Bec said.
She also believes this is an opportunity for families to introduce awareness to young minds. “While not aiming to frighten the younger generation, I believe this is an opportunity for families to slowly introduce awareness to these young minds so when they’re grown up, hopefully they will be more aware.”
