A seemingly perfect day of free diving on the New South Wales South Coast turned into a life-or-death medical crisis for mother-of-three Monica Sutherland, revealing a shocking misdiagnosis that changed her life forever.
A Dive That Revealed a Hidden Danger
In early 2023, Monica Sutherland, an experienced free diver from North Nowra, was preparing for a qualification dive to 30 metres off Batemans Bay. The conditions were ideal, but what should have been a routine practice session quickly turned terrifying. She found herself unable to complete a simple duck dive, coughing and struggling with intense chest tightness. Initially brushing it off as a bruised ego or an asthma flare-up, she persisted, even diving alongside grey nurse sharks.
Her determination had dire consequences. Forcing herself deeper, she suffered a collapsed lung and had to be urgently rescued and pulled back onto the boat. "The day had started out so perfect, but by the end of it she started realising something was very wrong," the incident revealed.
The Shocking Diagnosis and Gruelling Battle
Demanding a solution for her worsening "asthma," Monica was sent for a chest x-ray. The results were staggering. Doctors discovered not only the collapsed lung but a massive tumour measuring 21 centimetres long and weighing 2.5 kilograms – comparable in size to a football and in weight to a small newborn baby – sitting in her chest cavity.
She was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare cancer that develops in the soft tissue around joints. In Monica's case, it had grown between her lungs and rib cage. Immediate surgery followed, removing the enormous tumour along with two of her ribs. This was succeeded by six weeks of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy.
After initial treatment, she received the all-clear, but her fight was far from over. The cancer returned in April 2024, requiring another operation that removed part of her diaphragm. It recurred again in June 2025, but this time surgeons could not operate, stating she had "reached her limit" for radiotherapy. A limited course of chemotherapy was attempted instead.
Family, Resilience, and Hope for New Treatment
Now 49, Monica faces an uncertain future but remains determined. She has switched to a different chemotherapy regimen with the goal of stabilising her condition. Her medical team has given her hope regarding a promising new drug expected to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) this year, which, combined with immunotherapy, could offer a new path forward.
Her journey has profoundly impacted her close-knit family. Supported steadfastly by her husband, Glen, an Aboriginal community liaison officer at Lake Illawarra Police Station, Monica has missed countless family milestones, including her daughter Jaide's football grand final at WIN Stadium. She recalls leaving home for a simple x-ray and not returning for five to six weeks after being transferred directly from Shoalhaven Hospital to St George Hospital.
The ordeal has also forced a career change. Previously in a full-time role with Corrective Services, she moved to part-time work and is now set to retire due to her health. A GoFundMe page has been established to help the family with medical costs.
Facing each day as it comes, Monica Sutherland concentrates on the immediate step in front of her, not planning too far ahead. Her story is a powerful reminder of medical perseverance and the importance of investigating persistent symptoms, no matter how they initially appear.
