Portland woman Andrea Bolte knows all too well the anguish prompted by both a cancer diagnosis and the reality of treatment far from loved ones.

The mother of two received a six-week course of radiotherapy in Geelong during 2008 and was inspired by Peter's Project to detail her experiences in a letter to federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon.

"On that very first night I was diagnosed, (I knew) that every treatment I was going to have was going to be a long way from home," she said.

"A cancer centre with MRI and radiography in Warrnambool is not just a wish, it's a real need."

Mrs Bolte joined thousands of women at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday night as breast cancer survivors and their families gathered to promote awareness of the disease.

She was supported by her mother Aileen and daughters Celeste and Alexandra, with two of her Warrnambool friends who have battled breast cancer also making the journey.

Taking part in the event was emotional and surprising, Mrs Bolte said.

"It was wonderful to be there together, but the thing that shocked me about the evening was that there were so many young women.

"They'd obviously been through treatment or were in the early stages of recovery; I found that hard."

Celeste Bolte raced back from Melbourne eager to oversee the final details of a concert held to benefit a new cancer resource centre in Portland.

The Mother's Day at Bridgewater Bay event she and friend Lachie Hol organised prompted donations of $2217, money that will fund laptops to allow cancer patients to keep in touch with their friends and relatives.