Riversdale mother Jenna Waite takes a picture of her three sons (from left) Bayden, 10, Reid, 7, and Kieran, 12, in a field of the Volkers’ sunflowers in Millers Flat on Wednesday. Inset: Susanne Volkers PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
In April last year, the Fairfield resident and breast cancer survivor was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was told she would have to undergo radiation treatment as her prognosis looked bleak.
Weeks turned into months, and Mrs Volkers defied predictions.
She went in for another scan about two weeks ago and found the cancer was gone.
Husband Peter Volkers said while the news was fantastic, "there was still a long road ahead".
"Now that we've got the cancer sorted, we have to work with her health situation, because it's been left to deteriorate.
Peter and Susanne Volkers. PHOTO: ODT FILES
He said at times the diagnosis was harder on the family than it was for his wife.
"She's just gone with it, and she hasn't tried to fight against it or argue against it, whereas we've been trying to protect her all this time.
"It's not something I would wish on anyone," Mr Volkers said.
When Mr Volkers found out his wife had cancer last year, he had been considering planting a field of sunflowers on his Millers Flat property for people driving past to enjoy.
When the diagnosis came through, he dedicated the 120,000 sunflower seeds he had planted to his wife and started a fundraiser for the Cancer Society.
"There's plenty of flowers, there's just so many flowers there we're never going to be able to give them all away, so hopefully people who stop by can take as many as they can."
It was not expected that Mrs Volkers would see the sunflowers bloom.
But the field was now in bloom.
Originally, Mr Volkers was hoping to raise $1000 for the Cancer Society, but the money raised was now very close to $5000.
"People don't realise how much support there is through the Cancer Society, until you have cancer, or know someone with cancer," he said.
Mr Volkers said the field was about 4km east of the Millers Flat Tavern on State Highway8.
Over the next two weekends, Mr Volkers will officially start the fundraiser, inviting people to come along with something to cut the stems and take flowers in exchange for a donation.
There is an honesty box on site, a QR code that links to the fundraising page and bank account details, so people can transfer donations.
