She did all the training, and when the day came, she started to feel better.

Doctors found a lesion on the Gunnedah resident's spine because she was suffering back pain.

READ MORE:

Blood tests revealed it was myeloma, one of three major types of blood cancer, alongside leukaemia and lymphoma.

Ms Naismith has been in recovery since March, after various rigorous treatments, and said cancer can feel like a death sentence.

"As soon as you say cancer, you think, 'oh my god, I'm gonna die', and that's what the feeling is, that you're not going to be around to enjoy your children or your grandchildren or your partners and things like that," she said.

"It's that feeling of not being in control of your body."

Regional Australians typically experience longer delays in diagnosis and treatment, and Myeloma Awareness Month in May aims to raise awareness on the signs and symptoms.

Sadly, Ms Naismith lost her eldest daughter to pancreatic cancer a year ago. She said it was the worst feeling in the world.

"My husband died in my arms 11 years ago from cancer, but losing a daughter, or a child, is the worst thing you can do, you think about her every day," she said.

"She's missing out on her children getting married, having babies, and I've seen that with my children, where she didn't get to reach that.

"But I'm going to hopefully be there for them, that's why I am so strong, because I'm there for them and we're very close."

The Leukaemia Foundation supported Ms Naismith through treatment with free accommodation near hospitals, trusted information and other health and wellbeing services.

Ms Naismith urged the public to get checked and donate to the foundation.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: