I lost my mum to cancer in November 2021 and three days after her funeral I found a lump in the shower. I checked my breasts regularly and I heard mum’s voice in my ear telling me to get it checked out! I was seen by the GP within days, and it turned out I had two lumps, the second being much smaller which I had felt before and convinced myself it was nothing! So, in January 2022, I was diagnosed with two aggressive tumours. My main fear initially was that it had spread as there were two areas, but I quickly learned that they were two independent cancers with a different make up. My cancers were called invasive ductal carcinoma, both hormone fed and one HER2 positive.

In February 2022 I had a single mastectomy without reconstruction. Then in April I started 12 sessions of chemotherapy combined with 18 sessions of immunotherapy and as well as bone infusions I am on 10 years of hormone therapy.

The diagnosis changed my life, not just physically changing my body, but my mind too. 2022 is now a bit of a blur to me, thankfully, but I am over the worse of the treatment. My business suffered as I am a wedding photographer, I lost the majority of my business that year and now am part time. The side effects of the medication leave me with fatigue and countless other aches and pains so part time work is all I can manage.

At the end of 2022, once I had finished Chemo, my partner walked up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the cancer unit at Glan Clwyd, so I got together with an amazing bunch of local ladies whom I had met in hospital, and we raised between us over £9,000.00. These ladies I called my Breast Friends and were a massive support to me on my journey.

Before cancer, I had photographed 2 naked calendars for an environmental project in Prestatyn, making another is again a great way to give back to a unit that has saved my life and countless others. During treatment I cried, slept, ate, drank way too many hot chocolates, laughed, chatted, laughed even more and made lifelong friends. The staff on the unit literally made each visit manageable and bearable and often fabulous! I enjoyed my time there which is something I never thought possible as I assumed it would be all doom and gloom. It’s not! They are professional and incredibly caring and have smiles on their faces. To be able to give back is very important to me.

The power of social media is incredible and now we have a large number of brave ladies who have all had that awful breast cancer diagnosis who are putting their time and effort into helping with the calendar. We intend to shoot as soon as the weather becomes a little warmer, we have some fantastic ideas which will be a little cheeky and fun. Sponsorship is flying in from many local businesses, and we are selling dates on the calendar for £10 per date where people can remember a loved one who has been touched by this hideous disease. Each cancer has a coloured ribbon and these can be added to the date too. I have purchased one in memory of my Mum and her name will appear next to a light purple oesophageal cancer ribbon. The dates don’t have to relate to cancer, they can just be a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion.

Things are moving so quickly with the amazing breast friends we are anticipating great success!