At 39 years old, Emily Somers knows more about the fragility of life than most people her age.
It’s something that comes with battling cancer three times.
Despite this, Somers considers herself lucky.
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“We only get one life,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.
“I think I got such a rare opportunity, which is a weird thing to say when you get diagnosed with cancer, but a rare opportunity to slow down, spend a lot of days in bed thinking about my life and thinking about all the things that I love doing, all the things that were just not serving me, and all the relationships.
“I am grateful I have had that, and it’s made me realise how precious life is and forced me to make changes and lead a better one.”
The Melbourne business owner’s life changed at 26 years old when she discovered a lump underneath her collarbone.
Until then, cancer had never crossed her mind.
“At the age of 26, I didn’t have any family, friends or anyone that I really knew that had cancer,” she said.
“All of my cancer knowledge came from movies, where people were bald and throwing up in the toilet and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, is that going to be my life’.”
Somers, who is an ambassador for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s Brave Shave on Tuesday, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
She underwent six months of “exhausting” treatment and was finally falling back into a sense of normalcy when a routine scan revealed the cancer was back.
“I think that even though the first time was complete shock … the second time, I was just completely shattered and distraught,” she said.
“It was the biggest kick in the guts, being told I’d have to do it all again.
Treatment the second time was more intensive, as doctors “threw everything” at the cancer to stop it from spreading.
“I’ve never felt that sick or depleted,” she said.
She managed to kick the cancer in 2014.
Five years later, having just celebrated being out of remission for Hodgkin’s, she found a lump in her neck.
Her doctor told her it was a benign tumour but when the lump was still growing months later, “my gut was telling me something’s not right”.
She was correct.
A biopsy revealed it was synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that begins in the bones and soft tissues.
“This was the first time I was really scared,” she said.
“One of the first questions I asked was, ‘Is this going to kill me?’”
If the tumour had spread and they could not remove it, the answer was yes.
While undergoing surgery to remove the tumour, surgeons discovered they would have to cut her nerves, which was likely to leave Somers without the function of her arm.
“It was either that or I would have the cancer and that would kill me,” she said.
“It was kind of a sad no-brainer … but then when I woke up I could move my fingers, which completely surprised the doctors.
“Out of all of this, I’ve been really lucky.”
‘Believe in miracles’
Cancer taught Somers to live in the present but also to trust herself.
“If you’re having some kind of medical niggle and you think you should get something checked, then go,” she said.
Her other key piece of advice: “Believe in miracles.”
Somers was told the stem cell transplant she underwent would make her infertile, as the high doses of chemotherapy and radiation used often damage reproductive organs.
However, weeks after her nerve operation, Somers and her partner learned of their own “miracle”.
“I was freaking out thinking the cancer had come back … but it wasn’t the cancer growing, it was a baby,” she said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so shocked in my life.”
Somers said it was a reminder that “the doctors aren’t always right”.
Now, after years of undergoing IVF for a second child, Somers has fallen pregnant again, defying the odds.
Doctors told her the chance of her conceiving was “so miniscule”.
“We’d given up and we were filling out the adoption papers finally and then I fell pregnant again naturally,” she said.
While not everyone will have the same luck, Somers said it was a reminder of the wonder of the human body.
“Your body can heal and your body can do amazing things,” she said.
Be brave and shave
Somers’ journey led her to start her business, Bravery Co, which sells colourful headwear “in hopes of giving bravery to girls going through cancer”.
As a Brave Shave ambassador this World Cancer Research Day, the 39-year-old hopes to raise awareness of the need to back life-saving cancer research.
Australian Cancer Research Foundation fundraising and marketing general manager Carly Du Toit said it was an opportunity to shine a light on the impact of pioneering cancer research.
“We have come a long way in our prevention, detection and treatment of this devastating disease and we know by supporting more brave research we can change the meaning of a cancer diagnosis for future generations,” she said.
“Hair grows back relatively quickly, but the impact of cutting-edge cancer research will last forever.
“Because together we can transform bravery into breakthroughs that save lives.”