Unanderras Maria Mendola had never smoked a cigarette in her life so a diagnosis of lung cancer four years ago came as a shock to her and her two daughters. What was also shocking was the stigma Mrs Mendola – who lost her battle two years ago – faced because of the type of cancer she had. Daughters Angela Johnson and Marina Mendola said people, even medical professionals, assumed she had been a smoker and had therefore ‘‘brought it upon’’ herself. The sisters are taking part in this month’s Illawarra Relay for Life to show that their mother’s cancer journey was just as important and significant as anyone else’s. ‘‘One of the hardest things for us is that doctors couldn’t explain why mum got lung cancer,’’ Ms Mendola said.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:31:43 +0000
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