An act of courage – how Natasha put her health first

Putting myself first never came easy. I’m a proud Wiradjuri, Wemba Wemba, Barapa Barapa woman and a mum of 4, and I’ve always been involved in my community. I was used to saying yes to everyone else. But when my health was at risk, I realised I had to start saying yes to me.

I’ve already seen too many women in my family pass away too soon. When I found out I carried [a faulty] BRCA2 gene, I knew I had to do something. What came next was a lot of big decisions, made during some really tough times. I learnt that looking after my health gave me the strength to look after the people I love.

For me, that meant changing my lifestyle, getting regular health checks, and leaning on my culture and my community. I quit smoking with the help of a local support group. I listened to the stories of our Elders and promised myself I’d pass that knowledge on. In our culture, when someone shares knowledge with you, you give it back to the community. That’s how we stay strong.

The big turning point was realising I had to learn to say no so I could say yes to myself. If you don’t look after yourself first, you can’t really help anyone else. Setting boundaries wasn’t easy, but every time I made a decision for me, it felt like an act of courage.

Through it all, I leaned on my community, my culture, and my faith. I asked a lot of questions and made sure I was ready for every appointment. I believe the only reason I’m still here is because I kept asking questions. Fear can feel real, but it’s not. Once you speak up, the fear starts to fade, and each time you do it, you feel more confident.

Now I speak up to encourage other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to take that first step, whether that’s booking a check-up or talking to a health worker. When something speaks directly to us, it makes it easier to take that step. And that first step can change everything.

Saying yes to myself isn’t just about looking after me. It’s about taking back my future.