Raelene Boyle was guest speaker at the Murray Valley Private Hospital’s Health and Wellbeing Expo, which included free health checks and hospital tours.

Boyle won three Olympic silver medals, seven Commonwealth golds and two silvers, and was named a National Living Treasure in 1998.

But nearly 13 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and has since devoted much of her time to Breast Cancer Network Australia.

Seven months of chemotherapy which she described as “horrendous, and hard yakka”, followed.

“What I can offer to the community is a reality check that things like breast and ovarian cancer can happen to anyone,” she said.

“My message is that you have to have due diligence for yourself and your health.

“It’s about turning a negative time in your life into a positive — it sounds strange but I find it can be quite rewarding to put your hand out to people who are going through a similar time.

“It’s about telling people they will be OK, to keep their head up.”

Boyle was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer eight years ago, which returned a year later.

She has likened her fight against cancer to her life as an athlete.

“You have to deal with the issues that face you at the time and set long-term goals,” she explained.

“Your goal as an athlete is to win gold medals, the focus at the moment is to do the training.

“With cancer the focus is getting through treatment or surgery, and the goal is to not only live, but to live well.”

The highs and lows of her life have been mirrored in her sporting career.

Despite the medals, an Olympic gold eluded her, as communist countries turned to routine doping.

“I feel that at the time athletes not on drugs weren’t being supported as they should have been,” Boyle said.

“The Eastern European countries were sending messages to the rest of the world through their athletes, and unfortunately I was in that generation of athletes.

“But I was satisfied with my last run in Brisbane (silver, Commonwealth Games) because not too many get to retire on top of sport, especially on home soil.”