Welcome to my fundraising page for CoppaFeel!

In June, I will set out on a challenging, extraordinary and possibly life-changing trek, all in the name of checking chests. Along with Giovanna Fletcher and some other famous faces, I will embark on a 5 day trek on the Isle of Skye, in a bid to raise funds towards CoppaFeel's life-saving mission.

The trek is approx 100km and I’ll be walking approx 9 hours a day. I will need to train hard to achieve this as my fitness and strength has deteriorated over the 4 months of chemotherapy and been lost following surgery.

This trek is my motivation post-op to get active and adopt a health eating regime to get me into shape. I might even moderate the booze! 👀

I will post updates on my training and progress. If you’d like to join me in a ramble or a hike, or a jaunt around the block, speak up.

For those who don’t know, here’s how it all started and where I’m at now…On 31.07.24, I was diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer. The lump from an enlarged lymph node under my armpit (not a lump in my breast) had alerted me to a problem. It appeared suddenly, on 28.06.24, and was large and very painful. I was reassured it was nothing of concern and given antibiotics, but my ‘curious’ nature landed me in the breast clinic having a mamogram (which was completely clear!) and a biopsy (which the stains later confirmed breast cancer). On 07.08.24, after an anxious week-long wait I was told even though the cancer had migrated it’d not metastasised and is curative. However, my cancer is occult and has not been found in my breast, still.

It’s been a whirlwind since diagnosis. I’ve given lots of blood samples; had a CT scan, MRI scan, Tomosynthesis (more detailed mammogram), and 3 echocardiograms; had a Picc line inserted for 18 weeks, and met some exceptional nurses, doctors and health care professionals. I’m now best mates with the tea lady at the Cancer Centre. I’ve had 6 rounds of intravenous chemotherapy & anti-HER2 medication, from 23.08.24 to Christmas. I lost a lot of hair (head and body) and shaved the rest off my head to take control of the hair loss. I’ve had fun wearing wigs. Thank goodness for my microbladed eyebrows or I’d look really odd. I’ve worked as much as I could through chemo, to keep me occupied/sane and help the bank balance. It’s been tough. Chemo is tough.

On 15.01.25, I had a bilateral (double) mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction (using tummy fat as material) plus axilla (armpit) lymph node removal. The surgery was a whopping 8 hours but I was mobilised straight away. I feel good. It forced me to take a bit of time off work, but I got bored so I’m back 😂

I’ve now got deep rooted ‘cording’ (aka axillary web syndrome) in my arms and require 4 weeks of deep tissue massage from a specialist physio to break down the tight, rope-like structures that have formed under the skin post-surgery. It’s unbelievably painful.

I resume immunotherapy for 12 rounds soon and start hormone therapy for 5 to 10 years. I’m waiting to see if I need radiotherapy. I also waiting for the results of the histopathology.

Chemotherapy threw me into early menopause so I have symptoms of that too😫🥵🤯

I’ve chronicled my journey on Facebook as I like receiving the memory updates and, this time, they will remind me of the big ‘F*CK YOU’ I showed cancer!! 💪🏻👊🏻

Your donations will not only support my personal fundraising target, but more importantly CoppaFeel! They are determined to stamp out the late diagnosis of breast cancer by making sure that young people are regularly checking their boobs, pecs and chests and getting to know their bodies in order to have the confidence to see their GP if something just doesn't feel normal.

I’m 46, have no family history of cancer, and no genetic predisposition. My diagnosis came as a total shock.

Thanks so much for your donation & support.

To find out more about CoppaFeel! head to www.coppafeel.org.

Much love,

Vic/Frag x