AS RAYMOND Terrace mother-of-two Keryn Barnett can attest, being diagnosed with cancer is frightening and overwhelming.
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After overcoming the initial shock of being diagnosed with triple negative, grade three breast cancer in December, Ms Barnett was loaded up with information and appointments.
But it was through living with breast cancer and having to raise her daughters, Andrea, 14, and Kasey-Rose, 11, alone that she came to realise there was more support available then she ever knew.
"The hardest thing, being so independent, was asking for help," Ms Barnett said.
"You've just got to. As hard as it is to ask, you really need the help and support.
"It's not being weak, it's not self-pity. Help is the most wonderful thing."
Ms Barnett's first call for help was to the McGrath Foundation after her release from Calvary Mater Hospital after surgery to remove cancerous nodes.
Through the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation, she accessed a housekeeper and someone to mow her lawn.
She became a Breast Cancer Network Australia member to talk with others in the same boat.
She went through the Look Good Feel Better program and her daughters received a lot of support from their schools through Seasons for Growth and accessed CanTeen's online counselling service.
The P&C's of the schools (including Grahamstown Public School where Kasey-Rose attends) helped with new uniforms.
St Vincent de Paul Society helped with bills; when she was without power for nine days after the April super storm, she used Port Stephens MP Kate Washington's office.
A resource she did not access herself but knew about was the Raymond Terrace Food War Inc, which helped people buy low cost groceries.
Scans show that, after three months of heavy chemotherapy, Ms Barnett is currently cancer free.
