My name is Jemma, I am 34 years old and mother to two children aged 4 and 7. 

Last year just one week before the first lockdown I was diagnosed with stage 3 metaplastic breast cancer that had already spread to my lymph nodes. We have no family history of breast cancer, and like so many people I always thought that it would never happen to me! So as you can imagine me and my husband Russell were in total shock. There was a sense of urgency how aggressive the tumour was as well as the beginning of the pandemic the hospital wasn't planning surgeries passed that week. So just 3 days after going in to have a lump checked I was back at QA to have my operation. Russell took me to the doors where a security man told us only I was allowed in which was heartbreaking for us both. But I went in and waited for my surgery, later on that day I had a mastectomy and axillary clearance (all the lymph node's removed) from that side. I couldn't have reconstruction at the same time.  I managed to get home late that night as I didn't want to stay. 

It was so difficult emotionally at that time (it still is now, but I am not crying 24/7 now) because we didn't know what would happen, or what our future would be like or if I would be in it which is the worst thing imaginable with two young children who were only 3 and 6 at the time. 

I recovered from the surgery and was told I needed to start chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. So 6 weeks after surgery I started chemotherapy. This was so awful, it made me so ill I was unable to get out of bed for most of 3 months. Russell was incredible looking after our children and me, making sure I ate something and taking me to hospital and waiting in the car with the children. All appointments have been just me going in alone which was hard to start with but I got used to it quite quickly. 

After the chemotherapy I had 3 weeks of radiotherapy and I am nearly finished with immune therapy with just 2 more Treatments left to go. 

Every time I am in the oncology department the nurses and support staff are all very busy. But despite how busy they are, how tired they are and how much their legs hurt they are always kind, they make you feel at ease and if you need to talk they take the time to talk to you and help. They are the best kind of people possible and I am so incredibly grateful to them all. 

When I had a Picc line in during chemotherapy I had weekly flushes and bandage changes of the line, I felt so ill it took everything for me just to get from the car to the appointment, but everytime, the ladies that I saw made me feel better as if we had known each other for years. I will never forget how they cared for me. 

During this awful time I have been painting and painting, and I enjoy doing it and have been told that they are good. I want to raise some money for the oncology department because they deserve it, one day when I am able I will run a race but this could be a year away. A friend suggested that I give a painting away and ask for donations to the hospital so that is what I am doing. 

Anyone that donates what they can to this amazing department will be entered into a free prize draw and when the fundrasing ends someone will be picked at random to receive my painting (the sunset painting in the photo) . If you want to be entered into the free prize draw then make sure when you donate that you have not done it anonymously otherwise you will not be entered. 

It would mean so much to me if together we can raise as much as possible to help these amazing people with what they do every day. I owe my life to them quite literally. 

If you have read this all the way to the end then well done! Sorry it goes on a bit, there is so much to fit in!!