On September 1st, I’m going to climb the Mont Ventoux with the dutch 'Singing for your Life' team. This organisation put up 31 choirs for cancer patients and their families through Holland. Participants come together every week or two weeks to sing together which has direct effect upon body and spirit. I met them in May in Holland singing with 500 choir members in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. For me one day hard work and one month hard training. Nothing compared to the struggle of all these people I have met and have shared in common with, living with cancer and their loved ones caring of them.

MY LIFE WITH CANCER
On The 18th January, 2015 before my 48th birthday, after an appointment for a general smear test, I was made aware of some irregularities in the results and a second test was required. The consultant made sure the test results were given to me the same day and it was on 23rd of January, 2015, I found out I was in the early stages of ovarian cancer. In December, my Aunt was diagnosed with bowel cancer, the last of the 2 remaining females of my Mother s family of 5 females and 4 males. My mother and my 3 Aunts including my 2 uncles had died of some form of cancer before the age of 49 years. Usually approximately 2 weeks to a month before their 49th birthday. On the 26th of January, 2015, I decided to have a mammogram to exclude the chance of breast cancer, as the family history of breast cancer was very dominate. It was 2 days later, I received a call to return for a second scan and at this time I knew I had to have the strength  I needed to get through this as I felt the inevitable was about to happen. And sure enough, it was confirmed to me on the 2nd of February, 2015.
 "I am not my breast, I am Stephanie Benson, born Ann Shirley Akua Adjepong and I am and will be that same person for as long as I live and no one will ever bring me down or make me feel less of a person, irrespective of my body changes. I am whole in my heart and in my mind."