My close shave with cancer led to a much richer life

Over the years, Pauline ‘Polly’ Stait has made over half a million dollars.

But none of it went into her own bank account – it was all put toward furthering cancer research. Polly reckons everyone, though, is richer for getting involved in charitable works.

Polly believes her passion for fundraising started in her childhood, being raised in the small community around Staggy Creek, Gum Flat, Nullamanna in New South Wales. During her school years they had fundraising days once a month, where they would bake and do craftwork to sell in order to raise funds for a home for ill and disadvantaged country children.

“Looking back, the only customers were the families of the school children, which would be about 30 in all,” Polly recalls.

It was the start of a lifelong involvement in helping others, but also where she made lifelong friends.

“I still know where most of my school friends are and they have become life time friends to this day,” she says.

As she got older, she became involved in the Country Women’s Association and was even president of the Younger Set Branch.

During Polly’s children’s primary school years, she became involved in Highfields State School P&C, where the major fundraising was Highfields Theatre Restaurant, which raised over $60,000 for the school. The parents and teachers were involved in the whole productions, from the  writing, acting and catering, all performed in the little country village of Cabarlah.

Over four years, Polly coordinated the dinner-entertainment events and even played minor roles in the performances, from a mummy to an old hag, a pineapple ‘tree’ to being the back-end of a horse. 

Her fundraising efforts are now focused on finding a cure for cancer.

Polly’s first experience with “the c-word” was at the age of 15 when her grandmother died of stomach cancer.

 “Throughout my life, lung, bladder, stomach, spine, mouth, breast, brain tumours are just some of the dreadful forms of this disease that family and really close friends have fought and lost their battle,” she explains.

“When my beautiful mother in-law died of acute leukaemia 18 years ago, and then to lose my father-in-law with the same disease 12 years later, was a huge loss.”

The last two years have been a real rollercoaster ride as her husband Gary’s lifelong friend, whom they were best man and bridesmaids for when he married Polly’s cousin 45 years ago, died of mouth cancer.  And two of Polly’s best friends have been struggling with breast cancer the past twelve months.

The biggest loss of all happened six months ago when Polly’s much loved mother lost her melanoma cancer battle, a devastating blow only two weeks after losing her dad to dementia. The couple had been married 66 years. 

But when at the age of 44 Polly was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, she thought it must have been some sort of mistake.

“I am a good person, I look after my health, I am happy, have a wonderful husband, three amazing children, great family, good friends and awesome mates, so why me?” she remembers thinking.

A lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radium treatment followed, part of that meaning she had to be away from her immediate family as there were no facilities in her hometown of Rockhampton in Queensland at that time.

More than 22 years on, Polly now she knows ” why me.”

“I am keen to spread the vital message that we can all be part of the fight against cancer,” she says.

While part of that fight is raising awareness, another part of the fight is in raising money to help find a cure.

The first time she took part in Shave for a Cure,  in 2007, Polly raised over $10,000. The second time, in 2015, she raised over $15,000  That same year she was one of the faces of the Rockhampton Relay for Life.

She joined the Relay for Life team the Wot Eva Go’s with a group of friends who have made her more passionate and aware of finding a cure than ever before.

“Wot Eva Go’s are a enthusiastic group who have a lot of fun and laughter on the way of  raising vital funds,” she explains.

Six years ago was the start of  the Wot Eva Go’s Masquerade Ball, which has with a different theme every year, ranging from Spring Time to Winter Wonderland, One Night In Paris and Bollywood.  

Polly said this year is going to be bigger and better with Boots and Ballgowns, a gala to be held on August 19 at the Rockhampton Heritage Village.

Last year also saw her involved in the Inaugural DC Motors Drive for Life. which gave the local community the opportunity to test-drive any vehicle of their choice from the dealer and for every kilometre driven the DC Motors donated $1.

The three-day day Drive for Life campaign ended with a cheque to the Cancer Council for $24,244.

In November, three months after the death of her parents, Polly, her daughter Cindy and team friend Leslie Walker accepted on behalf of the Wot Eva Go’s relay team the award for Queensland State Highest Fundraising Team from the Cancer Council.

The trio toured QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute  and met Professor Rajiv Khanna, plus they toured the Ellis Lodge in South Brisbane where the funds from Relay for Life are used.

“In my lifetime I have seen how far research has progressed, the amount of support services for patients and their families, people being more positive and proactive with their own health due to Cancer Council education and how lives are being saved due to fund raising from kind and generous people,” Polly says.

Despite all her hard efforts Polly said she  would never have been able to have achieve any of the fundraising without the help of the love of her life, her husband Gary, with whom she  has celebrated 43 years of marriage.

“He is the gentle, calming person who listens, makes props and soup and always there with cuddles and a clean hankie when needed,” she says.

The Rockhampton Relay for Life will be held the week-end of 20-21st May  2017

Find your nearest Relay for Life event HERE. The Cancer Council’s advice to everyone is explained through it’s QUEST motto.

QUEST

Q = QUIT SMOKING

U = UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY AND GET IT CHECKED

E = EAT HEALTHILY AND DRINK LESS ALCOHOL

S  = STAY SUN SMART EVERY DAY

T = TAKE TIME TO BE ACTIVE

Do you help out with a fundraising group or volunteer for any organisation? We’d love to hear your story. Email [email protected] and tell us what you do.