With an impassioned fire burning inside her, Amanda dedicates every day to helping others thrive by spreading Soldier On’s mission and offering a helping hand to those who need it.
When Amanda was a teenager, she was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and endometriosis which unfortunately went untreated for too long, resulting in her being diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2010.
Being so young and longing to become a mother one day, the advised treatment of a full hysterectomy wasn’t even an option in Amanda’s eyes. Having found an incredible specialist, Amanda underwent experimental treatment in hopes to shrink her cancer to allow enough time to be able to have a child. After three long years of trialling unconventional treatments, the desired results ultimately weren’t there, and Amanda was faced with two options; surgery or death.
Lifesaving surgery
On April 16th, 2013, Amanda underwent lifesaving surgery, and it took just three days for the results to come back. On April 19th, she was declared cancer free. This year is monumental, marking 10 years of Amanda being cancer free. The past 10 years, she says, has been full of lessons and memories.
After leaving a toxic relationship, Amanda moved from New South Wales to Sale, Victoria back in 2020 saying, “when I moved to Sale, it was the middle of the night, and I had nothing to my name. I was starting anew and arrived with just my husky, some clothes and the vehicle I had at the time, looking for a fresh start.”
Amanda landed a civilian managerial role at the RAAF Base in East Sale and began fostering life-long connections as a sisterly and motherly figure to many. While still going through a great deal of personal struggle, Amanda never let her circumstances hinder her work.
Keep giving back with Soldier On
When the time came to move on from her initial role in Sale, the friendships she had made on base made Amanda realise that she wanted to find a way to keep giving back to Defence members and their families. It was only when a friend suggested she should have a coffee with the local Soldier On Pathways Officer, Rosa, that her passion for volunteering was ignited, facilitating her own Coffee Catch-Up’s offering a listening ear to anyone who may need it in the Sale area.
“When I met Rosa it all clicked, seeing her passion for her job was contagious. Since volunteering with Soldier On I have been enabled to put my passion into practice. I passed the ASSIST course in suicide first aid and it is very well known that if anyone ever needs someone to talk to, I’m there. I’ve learnt so much from Rosa, she fixed up my resume and helped me apply for a position with APS which I’m very proud to say I accepted. The position is back on the RAAF Base in East Sale and I’m incredibly excited and looking forward to what my future holds”, she says.
March On challenge
The annual March On challenge holds a special place in Amanda’s heart, with this year being her second consecutive year participating in memory of loved ones. This year she didn’t only complete the 96kms, but doubled the length of the Kokoda Track walking 192km for Ryan Leslie, Amanda’s close friend Tara’s husband who served for over 20 years and tragically lost his life alongside his fellow soldier, Craftsman Brendon Payne, while serving our country on a military exercise in Townsville Training Area on August 30th, 2021.
Ryan was a character larger than life itself with a sense of humour that could light up even the darkest of situations. Ryan and Tara have been long time supporters of Soldier On.
“I’m so proud to be a part of Soldier On, I pretty much live in my Solder On merch – my Soldier On hoodie is my favourite although it is worn pretty thin now. I wear my merch to the gym, grocery shopping, out walking and pretty much anywhere I can. If someone stops and wants to talk to me about Soldier On, I am always there to chat.”
Soldier On advocate
“When I get asked what I do for Soldier On, I have a bit of a joke that I drink the coffee and bring the humour, but the truth is I just enjoy being able to help out at events and get the Soldier On word out there as much as I can”, says Amanda.
Time and time again, Amanda has overcome obstacles that life has thrown her way and has bounced back each time with more and more to give. Her compassion, wisdom and humour acts as a beacon of hope and inspiration for so many, being a key figure within her community through helping enable veterans and their families to thrive.
“My way of thinking is even if I’m having a bad day and don’t feel like smiling, at least I can make someone else smile. I honestly didn’t know the difference I had made in so many lives by just being myself”, she says.
Today, Amanda lives with her first love high school sweetheart and his son after reuniting a couple of years back. For Amanda, every day is met with optimism and good spirits as she proudly displays her Soldier On merch and supports veterans through social catch-up’s that can be lifesaving.
“It’s funny how things work out in the end,” she says.
Invitation to donate to Ryan and Brendon’s memorial
There is a plan to build a permanent memorial rest stop for people to stop and remember Ryan and Brendon.
If you would like to donate to support this cause, please click: https://qld.raeme.org.au/index.php/about-us/raq-recovery-mechanics-memorial
