In the January of 2013, Victoria’s father passed away after a rigorous three year ordeal with cancer. This was not Victoria’s first experience of cancer, having seen her mother face cancer during Victoria’s youth and losing her grandmother to the illness shortly before. Victoria was in the early throws of grieving the loss of her father when, in November of that year, as a healthy, vibrant and energetic 29 year old, she was struck with her own cancer diagnosis.

Victoria was fully hospitalised with a rare and very aggressive cancer. CJ, her husband of not yet a year, Fiona, her mother, and Alexander, Victoria’s brother, moved into the hospital room with her, , making do with one armchair and a single pop up bed. to form a united front in supporting her back to health. During this time Victoria stated that she was going to overcome the disease and promised to go on to use her experiences to inspire and support others going through a similar ordeal.