Cheryl' story
At 39 years old I was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer, I didn’t know at the time of diagnosis as it was missed on the original scan but my cancer had already started to spread, it was seeding onto my sternum bone. This was only picked up on the surgery planning scan after I had completed chemotherapy.
The secondary diagnosis news knocked me off my feet. I’m a single mum and the thought of leaving my girls haunted me. For the weeks following I couldn’t breathe at times for anxiety. But as the news sunk in the ripples started to get a little less and I decided to throw myself into looking for stories of hope aswel as controlling the things I could control, like exercise, diet and mindset. I signed up to a PT and started weight training. I changed my diet and I let go of past trauma’s.
When you go and look there is lots of hope out there and the diagnosis is not always a death sentence. I’m now almost 3 years on and for 2 years my scans have shown no evidence of any active disease. I still have targeted treatment every 3 weeks and endocrine hormone therapy. But I feel fitter and stronger than ever.
I have just very recently been aloud to have diep reconstructive surgery and this has already really boosted my confidence. My body may be a little different to before but I’m still me, I still love to feel feminine, wear nice clothes and do my hair and makeup. There is so much more to me than my diagnosis. I am kinder to myself and I appreciate my body and how it’s got me through everything that’s been thrown at it.
I’ve used my diagnosis as a power to push a whole different mindset and outlook on life.
I don’t have the brain capacity to stress over small insignificant things anymore. I’m stronger and more powerful than ever and I actually prefer this new version of me.
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