In May 2013, South-West Sydney Mum Jodee Lee was diagnosed with stage three Triple Negative Breast cancer which led her to re-discover her love for the arts and, as a result, publish her first book.
The 44-year-old mother of four and survivor of cancer said that if it wasn’t for singing and writing she may have never been able to find herself again after cancer.
Throughout this difficult and painful challenge, Lee promised herself to write her feelings down every single day: “Whether it was even just one word.”
This allowed her to displace her negative feelings and manage any other emotional and psychological effects of treatment.
“Writing allowed me to make my negative thoughts visual… this truly got me through it,” she said.
These journals came together into a book where Lee passes on tips, her experience and a guide to surviving cancer.
“If I can help one other person, I’d be happy,” she said.
Lee also used singing as a medium for self expression during her cancer battle. “Singing and music is a huge part of our home, and kept my mum as happy as she could be during cancer,” Brock Batistuzzi, her teenage son said.
After her double mastectomy, Jodee Lee took a step out of her comfort zone and fulfilled her creative needs and auditioned for the X-Factor in January this year.
“I had the choice one day to either turn left to work, but instead I took a right and auditioned,” she said.
Lee has made it through the first stages of the televised singing competition.
“I recommend it [the arts] to anyone who is sick. It keeps you happy during and after cancer,” she said.
Jodee Lee’s book “Jodees Journey” is available on her website www.jodeelee.com.au