NRL great Brett Kimmorley has shared the joyful news that his partner, Lauren Raper, has completed her cancer treatment and is now cancer-free. Raper endured 12 rounds of chemotherapy and underwent surgery as part of her battle with breast cancer.
"So proud of this amazing lady going through 12 weeks of Chemotherapy," Kimmorley, 49, wrote on Instagram. "Off the back of a Mastectomy, she has powered through. With plenty of love and support it has helped her out. We are now Breast cancer free."
The news comes six years after Kimmorley lost his wife, Sharnie, to brain cancer in 2017. Sharnie Kimmorley died eight months after her diagnosis, leaving the former rugby league star to raise their four daughters: Maddi, Mia, Ava, and Ivy.
Kimmorley, a veteran of 307 NRL games and a former NSW State of Origin representative, kept Raper's health battle private until announcing the positive outcome. Friends and associates have since offered their well wishes in the comments of his social media post.
Kimmorley's personal experience with cancer has been a significant part of his life. In 2017, he spoke emotionally on live television about his wife's passing and the importance of supporting cancer research, particularly brain cancer initiatives. He highlighted how his daughters participated in events like Relay for Life to honor their mother and contribute to finding cures, emphasizing that family decisions were made collectively.
"It's trying to take something that Sharnie tried to say to us last year – that she could handle it," Kimmorley had said previously, reflecting on his wife's strength. "We had a softball game last year that was all to raise money for the Mark Hughes Foundation [which contributes to the fight against brain cancer] so that someone else doesn't have to go through it."