If you haven't battled the disease yourself it's likely you know somebody who has. When I was 15, a close friend took months off school to have chemotherapy when doctors found a cancerous growth, the size of a deflated soccer ball, in her uterus.

Thankfully, the chemo worked for my friend but there are others who werent so lucky.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be told that you have this deadly disease.

Thats why I joined several of my colleagues last week to raise money for cancer research.

I spent a day with Campbelltown Advertiser journalist Soraiya Gharahkhani at her Girls Night In and was amazed by the effort she put in. She made pink jelly shots, put up pink balloons, iced some pink cup cakes and her mum made pink pavlova.

Soraiya and her friends managed to raise $1346.50, which was a fantastic effort.

More recently, I found myself walking laps around Campbelltown Sports Ground with the Advertiser team to raise money at the 24-Hour Fight Against Cancer walkathon.

It was amazing to see so many people come together to support this cause.

There are lots of events being held this month to raise money and awareness about the disease.

The girls at Bliss Beauty Salon in Picton are giving women with cancer a day of relaxation treatments free of charge.

Cancer is a scary thing, but as Mayor Judy Hannan told me this week, its not always a death sentence.

When I interviewed her about her experience she told me that her first reaction was to ask the doctor: What do I do to get better?

I found her story inspiring and wondered if I could be so positive. Judy said that although her family was devastated they were a great support. While doctors work hard to find a cure the rest of us should keep up the fight, because I cant wait until that day that I never have to hear that C-word again.

mfenech@mail.fairfax.com.au