More than $18,000 was raised with the funds to go to two organisations – Pink Hope for breast cancer research, and Mummy’s Wish,  which supports mothers undergoing treatment breast cancers by providing practical and financial assistance.

A number of Gunnedah residents attended the ball, including Stacey Cooke and Eliza Gallen.

In the past two years, Jo tested positive for the faulty BRCA2 gene, which is commonly linked to an increased risk of breast or ovarian cancer, and underwent two operations. She had a double mastectomy in April, and received breast implants in September.

Following her double mastectomy, Jo decided she wanted to do more for those at risk, including her daughter, Cameron, so organises a ball to raise funds for breast cancer research. The ball was also an opportunity for Jo to celebrate with family and friends after her recent surgery.

“It was amazing. It was just packed with really lovely people and the energy and the vibe was really high. It was definitely a celebration,” Jo said.

A number of items were auctioned at the ball, including a cast of Jo’s torso taken before her operation. 

The cast was bought by former Gunnedah residents Gary and Lurlene Campbell who have known Jo since she became friends with their daughter Chrystal at five years of age. The Campbells donated the cast back to Jo. 

Guest speakers at the ball included Jo’s plastic surgeon, Matthew Peters, and breast cancer survivor Eve Wilson. Jo said she met Eve around four months ago through social media.

“She saw my posts on Instagram and contacted me,” Jo said.

“We met up and once I heard her story of breast cancer survival, I asked her to speak. She's one of only a few people I've met my age here in Brisbane that is going through something similar but still different to my story.”

Instagram played another part in the ball, with one user in another location contacting Jo to ask if they could purchase and donate a ticket to allow someone to attend the ball in their stead.

Jo said she contacted another new acquaintance, breast cancer survivor Penny Kurle, to offer the ticket on behalf of the donor.

Despite her exhaustion after such a long period of planning for the ball, Jo said she was glad she saw the idea through to fruition and was thankful to the Gunnedah community for its support.

The 34-year-old’s journey isn’t over yet – Jo said she was excited about a number of potential projects in the future.