My cancer journey actually started six years before my diagnosis in 2008, I found a lump one Sunday and did the sensible thing and got myself an emergency appointment at the doctors on Monday. Fortunately, through my employer I had Bupa cover and as a result was able to be seen that Thursday, where I first met my ultrasound doctor and my breast consultant. I was given the wonderful news that I just had a cyst, and it was aspirated there and then. I was advised that I was quite cystic and may feel lumps in the future; from that point on, I was in their system.
Over the next six years or so, I had regular check-ups, where they sometimes found cysts or fatty lumps, I had a couple of biopsies and every time the results came back clear. I found a lump in November 2011 and had it checked, it was another cyst, they aspirated it and booked me in for a check-up in April 2012. In January 2012 I felt another lump and I seriously considered not taking any action but leaving it until my April appointment. Thankfully I didn’t do this, and I did go back to my team, as something felt slightly different this time. Having built a lovely relationship with my team over the previous six years I could tell from their demeanor that something was different this time.
After having a mammogram and looking at the scan on screen compared to my previous one, even I could see a difference. They took biopsies and I had to return the following week for the results. I’d gone through this process a few times before and even though they didn’t say the word ‘cancer’, I knew in my heart that it was. The following week I returned for my results and for the very first time in six years I took my mum to the appointment. My feelings were correct, and I was given the diagnosis of stage 3, grade 3 breast cancer. I was 39 years old, a non-drinker, non-smoker, slim, fit and healthy, training with the Royal Marines, no rhyme or reason just bad luck. The hard truth is, had I been complacent and waited for my April appointment I wouldn’t be here now, my cancer was exceptionally aggressive. My number one message to everyone is, if something doesn’t feel right, take action immediately, you know your body best.
The whirlwind started immediately, again fortunately I was advised that because I had Bupa cover I could have most of my treatment at home. My brain went into project management mode, which was my job, I think it felt like a controllable place. I had to tell people (communication plan), organise handing over my work (transition plan), and liaise with Bupa/NHS for all my scans and chemotherapy (project plan) etc.
My chemo treatment, which I had at my mum’s commenced on the 9th February. The initial plan was for me to have six sessions. My chemo nurse arrived and she was amazing, she took complete control and gave us all the reassurance we needed. One of the questions she asked me was ‘had I touched my lump since I found out it was cancer?’ I had to think and then realised I hadn’t, she said this was normal as people unconsciously think they can spread it if they touch it. She asked to feel my lump and then told me to feel it again at the next chemo session. Well three weeks later I did, and it had definitely shrunk! That instant feeling of knowing the chemo was working was incredibly positive and by the 4th treatment I couldn’t feel a lump at all. As the chemo was working and I was tolerating it well, with only a few manageable side effects, they extended my course from six to eight.
My final chemo was on the 5th July, which gave me three weeks to recover before I headed off to volunteer at the Olympics, which started on the 27th July. To cut a long story short, I’d applied to be a volunteer in 2011 when I was fit and well and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime. The organisers were really supportive and made small adjustments for me which allowed me to still be a part of the greatest show on Earth!
After the Olympics I had surgery, a single mastectomy, this was followed in October by three weeks of radiotherapy. I was in the ‘grey zone’ for if I should have radiotherapy, it wasn’t clear cut. With full understanding of the pros and cons, I decided to go ahead as it was my way of taking control. I didn’t want the ‘what if’ question to come up further down the line. What I mean by that is, should my cancer return in the future I don’t want to ask myself, ‘what if I’d had radiotherapy; could that have prevented my cancer’s return?’ I know in my heart that I have done absolutely everything in my power to stop it coming back. If it does, well then it truly is bad luck.
My treatment wasn’t finished, since August 2012 I’d be given a drug called Herceptin by infusion every three weeks, this reduces recurrence in women with the ‘HER2-positive’ strain of breast cancer, there were no side effects for me from this, it was just a task that had to be completed for one year. In April 2013 I underwent my biggest surgery, a second prophylactic mastectomy and a double reconstruction. I was on the table for 9½ hours! It was a long and slow recovery with a few ups and downs along the way, in all I had 13 cancer related operations throughout my treatment and reconstruction. I was fully signed off in November 2017, though at the time I was still on a drug called Tamoxifen, a hormone therapy which is taken in tablet form daily for 10 years.
I’m now 53 and have surpassed 14 years since my diagnosis, I started running in 2016 as a way to try and regain my fitness. I’ve now run seven half marathons over 250 parkruns and innumerable other races, I have a personal trainer, I swim and partake in challenges like DEKA Fit and I also sing in two choirs. I have unofficially retired early and like to give back by volunteering for various cancer charities and university studies as I believe lived experience input is crucial when looking at future cancer treatments. All of these activities have been invaluable in me being able to live my best life and I’m grateful for every single person/organisation that has supported me throughout my cancer journey.