THE Queanbeyan Blues have a challenge ahead of them this Sunday when they take on the Goulburn Workers Bulldogs, but their fight is nothing compared to the constant battle former Blue Mark Asbock, his wife Angelique and their sons Luc, 11, and Romeo, 8, face each and every day.
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Angelique was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in June 2013, which had already spread to her liver and bones. Doctors told the Asbocks it was terminal and their lives changed forever.
"It was all surreal, I thought this couldn't be happening," Angelique said.
"I felt like my world just stopped, but everyone else's continued, like I was [driving] in my own lane and everyone else would keep going, but mine would just stop.
"I would try to pinch myself and hope it was all a bad dream."
The French-born 37-year-old found a lump in her breast in 2004 and had a mammogram in France, but was told it was nothing to worry about. She went back to the doctors regularly, but said she must have left it too long between check-ups.
"We had a period where we just couldn't afford it because it's so expensive," Angelique said.
"But if you get yourself checked regularly you can catch it early. It doesn't matter how much it costs if it's going to prevent it," Mark added.
Since that world-changing June day Angelique has endured two rounds of chemotherapy, clinical trials, a mastectomy and radiation to the brain after doctors recently found multiple tumours.
"It's hard every time you get a bad blow, but we're just taking it a month at a time," Angelique said.
"It's hard to balance everything and lead a normal life, it's affecting everyone.
"But this is our new normal- we're trying to continue on with normal life."
"We can't just cease life," Mark said.
Thirty-eight-year-old Mark is self-employed, which he said is a "catch 22" in their situation- he often becomes Angelique's full-time carer when she is bedridden and she can now no longer drive- Mark can take time off when he needs it, but that means the family are without a salary.
Romeo has chosen to follow in his father's footsteps, playing footy for the Queanbeyan Blues under 9s. The club is hosting its annual Juniors Mini Carnival, this Saturday, August 22, which will feature a raffle, cake stall and donation buckets going towards Angelique's medical costs.
"It's a bit of an uncomfortable feeling that people are doing this for us, but we can't thank them enough," Mark said.
"They approached us a while ago and told us they wanted to do a fundraiser and we kept putting it off, but then I realised people just want to help and they can't really help in any other way- I'm so thankful," Angelique said.
Mark's brother Colin and sister-in-law Monique already raised more than $4000 by putting themselves out of their comfort zones. Monique shaved her head and construction worker Colin dyed his hair pink and wore a pink onesie everywhere for a whole week, including to and from work on his Harley Davidson.
Angelique's family are all still in France, which she said "makes it hard", the Asbocks would like to visit Angelique's family before treatment gets too hard on her body.
The Asbocks encouraged everyone to get checked regularly and hope their story will help others.
"If we can help just one person that would be good," Angelique said.
"I wouldn't wish anyone to go through this," Mark said.