The Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. (CMBCF) was established in January, 2007 by John O'Leary (Cindy's husband) and a group of dedicated friends to honour her memory. Cindy passed away on April 20, 2006 at age 39 after an eight month battle with breast cancer.

During that time she and John met and heard of numerous young women on the Coast who were suffering not only from breast cancer but financial hardship as well.

Cindy and John were extremely fortunate to have great private medical and insurance cover. John was fortunate in that his job allowed him to take time off work to care for Cindy and their two young girls, Gemma and Hannah. Others in the community are not.

Cindy was very community minded. She was compassionate, warm and caring. She loved people, life and laughter. She had many passions including travel, entertaining, camping, not to mention calling the local radio station to enter just about any competition that was going. Her greatest passion though, was her family and the wonderful weekends and holidays they enjoyed together.

In her months of treatment for breast cancer, Cindy's most cherished moments remained those spent with her family and friends, especially with John and the two girls. The fact that John was able to take time off from work was a bonus. Then there was a family holiday together, camping on the beach, something they always loved.

There was a brief trip away with John to Vietnam, birthday parties for the girls and a picnic on the family lawn organized by Hannah. Cindy also cherished the support given to her and her family by the gourmet angels, a group of friends, neighbours and Matthew Flinders Anglican College mums who provided meals during her illness.

Yet it was during her treatment that Cindy also realized that none of this would have been possible if they, their family and friends, had not had the financial means to make life comfortable and fun even while she was suffering so terribly. It is for this reason that before she passed away she indicated it was her wish that a Foundation be established on the Coast to financially support breast cancer sufferers and their families throughout the period of their illness.

As a result the Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Foundation was born. It is a special community initiative. It is all about making a difference to families living with breast cancer that may be financially, as well as emotionally, challenged by the illness. Our aim is to provide relief in many ways, whether it is practical support with meals, assistance in the home, a massage after surgery, counselling and family support, a weekend away or even family photos or after school activities.

News of breast cancer is devastating. The questions of where to turn, who to turn to, how to digest the mountains of information and to make life-saving decisions on treatment can be overwhelming but to keep family life as normal as possible school, meals, after-school activities, is almost impossible.

There are many breast cancer charities around Queensland and Australia, but only the Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Foundation is specifically aimed at helping the Sunshine Coast community.