19 for Nicola

We are raising money in support of Cancer Research UK following our friend Nicola's recent diagnosis of breast cancer. On Sunday 26th November 2023 a group of Nicola's friends and family will be walking 19 miles from near her treatment centre, Guy's Cancer Centre in London, to Walton-on-Thames where she lives with her family.

At the end of the walk we will be celebrating together at The Swan pub and we would love for anyone and everyone to join in raising a toast. More details on this will follow.

This will be a day of friends and family, coming together to challenge ourselves at a time when our dear friend is facing this enormous challenge herself. It is an opportunity for us to show our support for Nicola and the wider community of people who experience breast cancer.

If you would like to join the walk, either at the point we set off, or nearer to the finish as we approach the pub itself, reach out to us at 19fornicola@gmail.com to be added to the event.

Please show your support for Nicola and Cancer Research UK by helping to raise money for this worthy cause that touches so many of our lives.

Nicola's Story

"Hi I’m Nicola, 40 years old, wife to Charlie and mum to Oscar and Phoebe our 5-year-old twins. A couple of months ago our world was turned upside down when I found out that I have Stage 2 breast cancer and was immediately plunged into chemotherapy.

During my diagnosis I was shocked to discover that despite my tumour being relatively large in size, it was not detected on a mammogram scan. The reason for this is because I have dense breast tissue and it is now known that mammograms are not the best scan to detect tumours in dense breast tissue.

I was fortunate enough to be in the private healthcare system and as a result of being found to have dense breast tissue I was offered an additional ultrasound scan, when my tumour was then discovered.

Currently the NHS Breast Screening Programme does not assess breast density and only offers a standard 2D mammogram. This means that women with dense breast tissue are not being offered the best type of scan to detect any tumours during this screening process.

This is why we have decided to raise money for Cancer Research UK. They are supporting a trial investigating the best scans to diagnose tumours in dense breast tissue. Hopefully this trial will provide the NHS Breast Screening Programme with sufficient evidence to support the introduction of supplementary ultrasounds for women with dense breast tissue.

As with any cancer – early detection is key. I feel incredibly lucky to have been offered that follow up ultrasound scan and I wish for every woman to be offered the same chance."

Cancer is relentless. But so are we - Together we are beating cancer.

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer

Please donate as little or as much as is possible to help fund this innovating research.

Thank you.