New Beith's Melissa Kelsey will ride to conquer cancer

In mid-2013, the mother-of-two was struggling to make it from one end of her home to the other.

This year, she will ride 200 kilometres as part of the Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Ms Kelsey was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, one of the most common forms of breast cancer, in mid-2013.

The news rocked the Kelsey family, who then had children aged 10 and seven.

"It was devastating, it was such a big shock to us as a family," Ms Kelsey said.

"I was 34 and I never thought in a million years that a doctor would be telling me I had cancer.

"It's just not something you think about when you are young and healthy and going through life like normal."

She said she had gone to the doctor after noticing minor changes in her breast.

"I had noticed some changes but I wasn't overly concerned," she said.

"When I got the positive cancer diagnosis, it had already spread to a lymph node and could potentially have been a lot worse if I had left it.

"My advice to anyone is, you are not being silly if you think you are the only one seeing it, you need to get it checked."

Ms Kelsey had several operations and went through chemotherapy as part of her cancer treatment.

Now on hormone therapy, Ms Kelsey is convinced that cancer research saved her life.

"Cancer research saves lives, plain and simple. The more we know, the better we can fight," Ms Kelsey said.

"Without research into cancer prevention my family would be facing a very different future that perhaps would not include me.

"I am eternally grateful for everyone's effort."

Ms Kelsey said she wanted to give back in any way she could, which had inspired her goal to tackle the charity ride.

Held over August 15 to 16, Queensland's fifth annual Ride to Conquer Cancer will benefit the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.

For more information phone 1300 11 RIDE or visit www.conquercancer.org.au

Those wishing to support Ms Kelsey's efforts can do so by searching for her name on the website.