AT A GLANCE

Born: Warrnambool on October 13, 1981.

Husband: Kelvin. Children: Adeline and Eloise.

Parents: Paul and Betty Stafford. Siblings: Chris, Leigh and Joel.

Education: East Warrnambool Primary School before attending Warrnambool College.

Sporting highlights: Would be playing netball with Merrivale's A reserve side in 2008 when it won the premiership and Allansford in its reserves flag in 2010. Both wins were special.

Katie, when did you start your netball?

I would have been 10 years old when I began playing out at the stadium after school.

I was 17 years old when I started playing for Allansford.

The main reason why I began my career with Allansford goes back to my dad Paul and brother Leigh.

Both had been heavily involved with the club. Dad coached the senior footy side for a couple of years while Leigh played with Alllansford.

I went on and played more than 200 games of netball for the club in A reserve - sadly I never played in A grade.

I made the change to go to Merrivale in 2007 because a few of my friends were playing down there. I stayed with Merrivale for a few years before going back to Allansford.

I've been very lucky with my netball career because both clubs offer wonderful environments for its players.

Having played so much netball in the Warrnambool and District competition, you would have seen netball go from strength to strength. Is that a fair comment?

Yes. It's been quite incredible the growth of netball in the WDFNL. I'll never forget back in 1997 when I started there were only two grades for the seniors and two for the juniors.

The interest has grown and grown over the years. One only has to see clubs now start their pre-seasons before Christmas years ago clubs would kick off their pre-seasons in late January to February.

I've found netball in the WDFNL league is a lot faster now and more skilfully - in part I think that's got to do with the extra training that clubs put in.

I've been very lucky to have played netball because the main core of my friends are ladies who I've played the sport with or against and believe me I've needed them with the battles I've had with my health over recent years.

Katie, away from netball have you been involved in any other sports?

My parents encouraged their children to take part in various sports whether it be swimming, rowing, tennis or squash. The strange thing is I've found my life going the full circle.

My secondary school education was at Warrnambool College and I'll be going back to work in administration at the school in a couple of weeks.

I had worked with the Department of Justice for years and loved the people and job but getting the job at Warrnambool College is a bit more flexible with our two young children.

I'm going to miss the Department of Justice because they were great people but I'm looking forward to going back to Warrnambool College.

There's a few familiar faces at Warrnambool College which goes back to my days as a student at the school. I was amazed how different the layout of the school is now to when I was a student there.

Katie, you mentioned you had some battles with your health. Do you wish to speak about those battles?

Yes. I don't have a problem (doing that).

When did your health problems begin?

It was on November 11, 2020, that I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I was 34 weeks' pregnant with Eloise and I noted I had a lump in my breast.

I waited for a few months to get it sorted out and the biopsy came back confirming I had breast cancer.

I went and saw a specialist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and they told me the procedures I would have were treatments and surgery. I was extremely lucky to have my treatments at the Warrnambool Cancer Centre.

I had 16 weeks of chemotherapy where they shrunk the lump before having the surgery which was performed in Melbourne.

After the surgery I was back in Warrnambool for 15 sessions of radiation. I also had a couple of operations relating to the breast reconstruction and things were not going right.

I've ended up putting that on hold for a while as we tried to look after our two young girls. We're just trying to keep their lives as normal as possible.

Katie, last week you made the trip up to Sydney with the McGrath Foundation for the Pink Test. What was that experience like?

It was all quiet amazing. I was lucky to have met the people from the McGrath Foundation while we were there - they are truly wonderful people who are down to earth.

My family made the trip with me which was great. It was a huge event. Bec Hay, who is a Warrnambool breast cancer nurse, was with us. Bec has been there for every step of my journey. She's an incredible person.

It's just wonderful to know that I've got Bec there when I've had down days or when I've had questions to be answered regarding my health.

Bec has been in her job for 15 years and in that time she has offered wonderful support, advice and love to hundreds of people that have been in my situation.

It's just so reassuring to know Bec is there. We are also so lucky to have the Warrnambool Cancer Centre - all the staff there do amazing jobs. It's just wonderful to have a facility like that in Warrnambool.

It's just been a huge relief to know that I never had to travel to Geelong or Melbourne for treatment as we have the centre in Warrnambool, especially when we've got two young children.

My husband Kelvin and my parents Betty and Paul have also been amazing and we've been very lucky to have such a great group of friends that have been there to help out.

We're looking forward positively. Kelvin and I have just purchased 50 acres of land to the north of Warrnambool and we're looking forward to building a house and having lots of different animals so our children can enjoy them with us.

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