Elizabeth Annette Dinjar
11.4.1967 – 20.1.18
The Dinjars were an institution in Mount Riverview. Liz Dinjar and husband Miro moved to the Blue Mountains in 1989 after they married. Their first baby Josh was brought home from Nepean Hospital to a house in Rusden Road, Mount Riverview.
Like a lot of Blue Mountains families, they improved upon their second Mt Riverview home over the years and transformed it from a modest cottage to a sanctuary where they could raise their family. Josh was joined by two sisters. By all accounts, this was a wonderfully ‘ordinary’ life.
One of the Liz’s playgroup mothers reminisced fondly about how the group would tackle small projects such as gardening and painting at each other’s homes, while the other women minded the babies. Liz’s enthusiasm and drive was infectious.
In October 2013 Liz was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her ordinary life was changed irrevocably and she was thrust into a merry-go-round of surgery, aggressive chemotherapy treatments and specialists’ appointments.
Liz had worked in sales from her late teens, starting out with Oral B in North Sydney, then owned by Braun, as a dental sales representative. She built on her extensive sales expertise over the years and sold many properties in the Blue Mountains for Chapman Real Estate.
Later she would return to the dental sector with Nobel Biocare. She was innovative, a problem solver and continued to smash sales targets, winning many awards. She mentored many other sales people and in her final year at Nobel Biocare was in line for a major promotion. An annual award for outstanding performance is to be awarded in her honour by the company.
The posts on her Facebook page said it all: inspirational, supportive, a mentor, funny. You would have to add “extraordinary” to acknowledge the way that Liz approached the curve ball that life sent her. She still maintained her beautiful smile and was extremely courageous in facing this unseen foe, continuing to be a wonderful mother to her three children, an active participant in the Blue Mountains community where she was known and loved and a unique and high achieving sales person.
Ovarian cancer can often go unnoticed and be diagnosed late. Ovarian Cancer Australia notes on their website that the most common symptoms reported are:
- Abdominal or pelvic pain.
- Increased abdominal size or persistent abdominal bloating.
- Needing to urinate often or urgently.
- Feeling full after eating a small amount.
The Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZCOG) is conducting important research into the biology of ovarian cancers and conducting innovative clinical trials.
For more information, visit www.anzgog.org.au or www.ovariancancer.net.au.
A memorial service for Liz Dinjar will be held on Wednesday, January 31 at 10.15am for 10.30am at Springwood Cemetery, 40 Davesta Road, Springwood.
This will be followed by a service at 12noon at Lower Mountains Anglican Parish Church, 3 Wascoe Street, Glenbrook.
After the service, a celebration of her life will be held at the Springwood Sports Club, 83 Macquarie Road Springwood, from 1.30pm. Liz asked people to wear something colourful.
