My intuition saved my life

Prior to her cancer diagnosis, Aidyn Clements was a 22 year old full-time nursing student and working mum. She was engaged to her “soulmate” Matt, whom she had been with since she was 16. She lived in Burnie, Tasmania, and being a mother to her two young boys, aged 1 and 4 was her dream, her life was busy, but purposeful. 

In March 2022, Aidyn felt instant dread when she noticed a hard golf ball sized lump under her left collarbone. A prompt plan to visit the doctor was in place for the next day after her fiancee, Matt, agreed that something wasn't right. Prior to discovering the lump, she hadn’t noticed anything wrong, “I had been more tired than usual and just felt a bit ‘off’, but I assumed it was low iron, and the reality of being a busy, working, studying mum.”

The response from her GP was one filled with urgency, after an ultrasound and X-ray, Aidyn was asked to return to the doctors the next day to discuss her results. By the next morning, her GP had already contacted surgeons at a local hospital who were expecting Aidyn for further assessment.

“Do you think I have cancer?” She asked him. The look in his eyes confirmed her fears. “That was the first time I heard the word ‘sarcoma,’ and it began to feel very real.”

After meeting with local surgeons who organised an urgent MRI, Aidyn was informed that the tumor was highly suspicious of a soft tissue sarcoma and she was promptly referred to the specialist sarcoma service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. A sarcoma nurse from Peter Mac guided her through the next few steps of her journey and she was scheduled to travel to Melbourne for a core needle biopsy and PET scan. 

Life didn’t stop for Aidyn and her family, she celebrated her son’s birthday, hosted her cousin's baby shower, and continued her university studies among other things. “Everything carried on as normal on the surface, while underneath, we held both joy and heartbreak.”

Six weeks after discovering the lump under her collarbone, Aidyn received the news she had cancer, a week later, she was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma and needed to relocate to Melbourne for twelve months to undergo treatment. 

“That moment was doubly devastating. Not only the diagnosis itself, but the reality that I would have to leave home, uproot our lives, and be away from everything familiar.” Aidyn adds that the surgeon delivering the news “cried with us, fully aware of the weight of what she was saying and the impact it would have on my family and me.”

Within two weeks of her diagnosis, Aidyn and her family moved to Melbourne with help from Sony Foundation’s ‘You Can Stay’ program which offers support and accommodation for families or young people, aged 15-29 years, battling cancer. 

The diagnosis forced Aidyn to consider all areas of her life that were going to be impacted. She met with specialists at the Royal Women’s Hospital to discuss the impact on her fertility and was told if she wanted more children, she should consider undergoing egg retrieval or ovarian tissue freezing. Given the urgency to begin her treatment, the recommendation by her oncologist was to freeze ovarian tissue as it was the fastest option. Instead, Aidyn “chose to go against that advice due to concerns about its efficacy and instead underwent one round of egg retrieval.” The process delayed her cancer treatment by nearly three weeks, after which she began monthly Zoladex injections to induce a medical menopause. Following this, Aidyn had a bilateral bone marrow biopsy and had a central line port-a-cath inserted in preparation for chemotherapy. 

“My treatment plan involved 14 rounds of VDC/IE chemotherapy, along with major surgery to remove the tumour, and possible radiation depending on surgical outcomes. I completed the first 6 rounds on a 14-day cycle, often needing red blood cell transfusions before each round due to the impact on my bone marrow and blood cell production. I then underwent major surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne to remove the tumour and surrounding ribs. Despite initial concerns from my surgical team, the surgery was highly successful, and as a result, radiation was no longer required. Following this, I completed a further 8 rounds of chemotherapy on a 21-day cycle.”

Aidyn faced an array of setbacks throughout treatment. She experienced a pulmonary oedema requiring a MET call, hospital-acquired pneumonia after surgery, and delays due to low blood counts and viral infections. She developed onycholysis (nail loss) and peripheral neuropathy among other side effects. Additionally, Aidyn had to regain function in her left arm through rehabilitation. 

Just short of the twelve-month mark, Aidyn went into remission in March 2023 and was finally able to return to her home in Tasmania. Since then she has continued with ongoing surveillance at Peter Mac. 

The impact of cancer on Aidyn’s life was immense. The cancer treatment on her body was “relentless.” She adds that it, “It takes so much, all in the name of saving your life, and it wasn’t something I could fully understand until I lived through it.” Moving from Tasmania meant she was away from family, friends, her support network and everything she knew, not to mention the constant and significant financial stress. “Without the support from our friends, family, local community, and the Sony Foundation, we would have lost everything.”

Although she has been in remission for three years and is no longer receiving active treatment, cancer has not magically disappeared from Aidyn’s life. Rebuilding strength, coming off medications, managing ongoing side effects, regular surveillance scans, monitoring heart health and continuing psychological support are all challenges she faces in her life after treatment. 

“Cancer has changed every part of who I am, and will always be a part of our lives.”

Aidyn’s “second chance at life” has been one of chaos and meaning. She has done advocacy work for the Sony Foundations ‘You Can Stay’ program which was an immense support for her while in Melbourne. In September 2025, Aidyn and Matt welcomed their “miracle” baby girl, who is madly adored by her two older brothers. Once again in pursuit of her dream, she returned to university with a deep sense of purpose and passion for her studies in a Bachelor of Midwifery.  

“My experience with cancer and the trauma of treatment has shaped how I see care. I’m incredibly passionate about providing trauma-informed care that honours a woman’s autonomy and ensures she feels seen, heard, and supported during what can be both a vulnerable and transformative time in her life.”

“Hope will always be stronger than fear. My survival has given me purpose to live life to its fullest, to not take anything for granted, to soak in every moment, and to continue chasing my dreams regardless of what life has in store for me.”

As a sarcoma survivor, Aidyn’s message for others is that “sarcoma may be rare, but its impact is not; it changes lives. For those living regionally, the challenges are even greater, where distance, access, and time all become part of the fight. So be curious. Learn about it, talk about it, because awareness creates earlier diagnoses, better outcomes, and stronger support for those walking this path.”

“Everything you love depends on you being well enough to enjoy it. If something in your body doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and take it seriously. My intuition saved my life.”