Cancer to carer: Survivor pursues midwifery career

Megan Grisman is an activist and a cancer survivor. Soon she will add midwife to that list. After being diagnosed with breast cancer at 28 and again at 33, Grisman's battles have made her determined to enter the profession and to help in any way possible in the fight against breast cancer.

Grisman, who was diagnosed when her three sons were all under the age of 6, said going through cancer changes your outlook on life and added she refuses to let the disease get to her.

“I have risen above stronger and more determined than ever to live life to the max, as well as making a commitment to helping in any way that I can to beat this ghastly disease,” she said.

Heeding advice from loved ones that she would make a good nurse or midwife, Grisman finished the University of the Sunshine Coast’s bridging program, Tertiary Preparation Pathway, in Semester 1 last year before enrolling in a bachelor of nursing science and midwifery.

“I gave myself all these excuses as to why I couldn’t go to university, then finally I decided to listen to my family and friends and made the decision to go for it,” she said.

Grisman also put her hand up to be one of the faces for a fundraising and awareness campaign headed by young cancer survivor Rachelle Panitz. The project, a photographic calendar featuring Panitz and 11 other women from across Australia who were diagnosed with breast cancer before they were 40, is titled So Brave.

The initiative, which involved each model having been styled in full body paint by bodypainter Wendy Fantasia, aims to raise funds for organisations including the Breast Cancer Foundation and for breast cancer research.

Nursing Review sat down with Grisman to discuss the photo shoot and how her battle with cancer affected her desire to work in healthcare.

More information about the So Brave calendar can be found here.

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