Jean was diagnosed with medulloblastoma brain cancer in 2016. At the time she was a keen rower and had competed at the Henley Royal Regatta a few months prior for Ruyton Girls' School, after being undefeated in Australia (in the schoolgirl quad) for two years.
Jean was excited to see where her rowing career would take her. But she started experiencing throbbing in the back of her head, and slowly more symptoms emerged such as loss of balance, blurred vision, vomiting and extreme dizziness (so bad she could barely get out of bed). The diagnosis process took many month (and many different doctors) until an MRI discovered the tumour in the back of her brain. Naturally this was a major shock to Jean and her friends and family.
A few days after the diagnosis she underwent surgery, performed by neurosurgeon Wirginia Maixner, where she was able to remove the entire tumour. The next steps of treatment included radiation and chemotherapy.
Jean returned to rowing in the final stages of chemotherapy, but it soon became evident just how the treatment had taken a toll on her. She had to start from scratch to rebuild strength and fitness, that had once come so easily. It wasn’t until March 2020 when Jean finally got a PB on a 2km ergo test that she had set when she was 16 years old.
Jean has since gone from strength to strength. Rowing for Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC) this year she competed at the 37th annual Windermere Cup Regatta in Seattle, she won at the Kloninklijke-Holland Beker Regatta, Bosbann Amsterdam, while also competing at the Henley Royal Regatta and taking gold for Australia at the Head of Shanghai River Regatta.
Jean returned to rowing in the final stages of chemotherapy, but it soon became evident just how the treatment had taken a toll on her. She had to start from scratch to rebuild strength and fitness, that had once come so easily. It wasn’t until March 2020 when Jean finally got a PB on a 2km ergo test that she had set when she was 16 years old.
Jean has since gone from strength to strength. Rowing for Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC) this year she competed at the 37th annual Windermere Cup Regatta in Seattle, she won at the Kloninklijke-Holland Beker Regatta, Bosbann Amsterdam, while also competing at the Henley Royal Regatta and taking gold for Australia at the Head of Shanghai River Regatta.
Off the water, Jean is studying a Design at Deakin University.
Join Jean, take on the Connor's Erg Challenge!
Join Jean, take on the Connor's Erg Challenge!
