Her kidney cancer had spread to her femur and simply walking caused her great pain.

However, true to form, she lined up for Border Relay for Life’s opening lap, the cancer survivor/carer one, as she had done with her family for the previous six years. 

“What made me more determined was the crowd of people who stood clapping and cheering me on even though we were so far behind the other walkers,” she said.

“They all waited, still clapping, until we finished and only left when we got to the end. It still brings tears to my eyes remembering the feeling that people I had never met, who had no idea what our family had just gone through were there to support us.”

Burrumbuttock’s Mrs Collis was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2007, just five months after she lost her mum to breast cancer.

Two years ago she needed radiotherapy and began oral targeted chemotherapy.  

“I don’t like to say I’m fighting or surviving cancer when, in all honesty, I’m doing my best to live with my cancer,” she said.

“I think of it like a bush fire that’s had watch and act warnings for years; just sending out little spot fires so I know it’s there.” 

Together with husband Geoff and their daughters Penny Litchfield, Elizabeth Pieper and Brooke Love and families, Mrs Collis will enter a family team – the Tatted Angelz – in Border Relay for Life for the ninth time this spring.

Mrs Collis and Elizabeth have been on the organising committee for eight years.

“I walk with pride in the survivor/carers lap with my whole family including our seven little grandkids, some in prams, because as far as I’m concerned they are all my carers as I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for all of them,” she said. 

“As a family it’s something we all love doing together; they are my everything and I’d doing anything for them have a cancer-free future.” 

Mr Collis has been a Cancer Council transport to treatment driver for the past year while Mrs Collis co-facilitates the Women’s Wellness Group each month at Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre

Border Relay For Life will run on October 27-28 at Birallee Park, Wodonga. 

Survivors and carers are welcome to join a morning tea after the opening lap.

RSVPs and table bookings can be emailed to scmorningtea@gmail.com by October 19.

Early Bird Discounts close on Monday. 

There will be a team information night on Tuesday at the Commercial Club Albury at 7pm.

For more details or to register visit relayforlife.org.au/Border.