‘I didn’t know alcohol causes cancer’: how a former ‘Wine Mum’ changed her relationship with drinking

For former “Wine Mum” Becky Hirst, alcohol used to just be a part of life. It was a way to connect with people and, for many years, was central to her community. She founded Winey Kids, a consumer-led social media destination marketing initiative which promoted family friendly wineries to thousands of wine-loving parents. This led to the development of “Mummy’s Wine Club” which brought hundreds of women together to meet, learn about wine, and share a glass or two. 

Alcohol was also a bonding experience within her family. Becky met her partner while backpacking around Australia, and their shared love of wine was one of the things that helped their relationship blossom. She says they used to have a weekly ritual where, once the kids had gone to bed on a Friday night, they’d unwind by sharing a bottle of local red.

But things started to change when she noticed the impact on her health.

“I was well-meaning. Back then, we celebrated wine culture as a way to unwind, connect, and reclaim a sense of identity in parenting. It really brought people together. But I started experiencing blackouts. It scared me. I was worried about what alcohol might be doing to my brain,” Becky says.

Becky says a turning point for her was when her friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That sparked a conversation with another friend, Sonia, who she used to go out with often for a few drinks.

Sonia told her she had given up drinking entirely after receiving treatment for bowel cancer.

“Sonia said to me these very wise words: ‘Bec, just work out your relationship with alcohol’,” Becky says.

“That was probably the absolute turning point for me. She wasn’t saying, ‘Bec you’ve gotta quit, you’re wasting your time away drinking.’ It was just work out your relationship with alcohol.”

In late 2019, Becky made the decision to go alcohol free. It was difficult, at first, to give up with a lot of social rituals centred around drinking and people not always understanding her choice.

“People don’t invite you to stuff now because they think you’re not drinking so you mustn’t be fun. Or they encourage you to [drink],” she says.

Last year, after around four years without alcohol, Becky then received the news no one wants to hear. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. After learning as much as she could about her cancer, and what factors might have contributed to it, Becky says it still didn’t quite click that alcohol could have been one of the causes.

“Of course, it’s hard to ever know exactly what caused it. But when I learnt that alcohol is a known cause of cancer—it hit me. I honestly didn’t know. Like so many people, I thought it was just about moderation, hangovers, and liver health. I never connected it to cancer,” Becky says.

With her breast cancer treatment complete, Becky now advocates for people to explore sober curiosity.

Whether it’s reducing your alcohol intake or giving up for good, plus the positive impact cutting down on alcohol can have on your mental health, Becky believes it’s time for people to really understand the link between alcohol and cancer.