Mesothelioma generally starts in the outer membrane of the lungs, is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos and can develop decades after the exposure.

“I had known two women who had died of mesothelioma. When the doctor asked me whether I had ever been involved in the mining industry I made the connection immediately.”

Jeanette had never worked with asbestos and the only time she had been involved with the product was as a child.

“Building started on the house in late 1963 and then there was an addition put on in 1964 and a shed added a couple of years later.

“People didn’t know any better and just sawed at the boards and we took offcuts to play with, making little tables,” she said.

It was Jeanette’s sister, Carol Barrett, still living in Pambula, who found the receipt that showed the James Hardie asbestos product had been used.

“I had all the classic symptoms, lack of breath, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, which I had put down to the menopause, and an ache in my shoulder.”

The disease was quite advanced; younger and fitter than many people diagnosed with mesothelioma, Jeanette hadn’t noticed it until she had a chest infection but there was no way of knowing when it first developed. Simply because she was fit, she never needed to have a chest X-ray.

Too far advanced for surgery, Jeanette started a course of chemotherapy in the hope of shrinking the tumour.

The news was a terrible shock for husband, Damian and her family. Some of her first thoughts were for her children, Joel, 19, who has just joined the army as a medic, Isaac, 16, Rowan, 14 and Meghan, 10 and how she would not see the younger ones grow up and experience their journeys through life.

Jeanette turned to a girlfriend who had lost her own daughter suddenly with a brain aneurism, asking her to be there for the children.

“My girlfriend had lost her daughter in the space of one and a half hours, at least I have time, time to sort things out,” Jeanette said.

“I asked myself how I could make this easier for the family because I knew what it was like to clear someone’s belongings having done it after my mother died.”

“I’ve started looking at how to prune some of my belongings. I’ve got a great book collection and I’m trying to work out what to get rid of.

“No one told me I had a certain number of months to live but I gradually became aware of the doctors’ concerns as I read their letters attached to the court case seeking compensation from James Hardie and realised that it looked pretty grim.”

Jeanette’s oncologist had written that average life expectancy for someone with mesothelioma, was nine months from starting chemotherapy.

There’s a sense of pride in Jeanette’s assertion that she has already passed the average time, as she started treatment in November 2008.

Through undergoing chemotherapy for eight months, Jeanette’s tumour had shrunk by 20 per cent but surgery was still not an option.

Now Jeanette uses a combination of alternative therapies, such as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, naturopathy and meditation to help support her physically and mentally.

She is also looking at alternatives such as mistletoe extract (iscador) that is being investigated in New Zealand and has taken a long promised trip to Europe.

Plans for an Eden Marine High School reunion have been given an added impetus.

Margo Leffer (nee Fraunfelder) who originally lived in Merimbula, now lives in Canberra, and went to Eden Marine High School with Jeanette.

“We were both at Eden High together in 1975 and have stayed in touch and we always talked about a reunion because there were only 10 of us but there was a remarkable closeness and friendship,” Margo said.

“I would like to do something positive and am organising the reunion for December this year,” Margo said.

Next week the News Weekly continues Jeanette Hennessy-Wright’s journey and the effect its had on her life.