Many of you will already know of my love for this charity and my determination to raise awareness of the importance of checking your chests! I have previously trekked across the Scottish Highlands for the charity. I trekked 100km across the Sahara Desert and last year I trekked a marathon across the Peak District. With your support I have raised funds for this charity to help towards Coppafeel's life saving mission of stamping out the later diagnosis of breast cancer in young people.

This year, in my 40th year of living and nearly 5 years on from my secondary breast cancer diagnosis, I, with your help, would like to continue to raise vital funds to help support the charity.

This September, I will set out on a challenging and gruelling one day trek in the Peak District. Along with my sister, we will be trekking a marathon through the Peak District. Your donations will not only support my fundraising target, but most importantly CoppaFeel!

I will also be holding a charity netball tournament in May and June, which will see 30+ netball teams coming together to raise funds for the charity and to spread the word about checking your chests and what else others can do to help the charity with its mission.

For anyone that does not know why this charity is so important to me. My story is set out below.

Thanks so much for your donation & support.

My Story

I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer on 19 September 2019. I was 36, a workaholic solicitor with two young children, aged 5 and 3 at the time. On that day my life as I knew it crumbled. Everything changed.

I had breast fed both my children and shortly after having my daughter I had noticed changes to my right breast. I was referred by my GP to a breast clinic where I was given a sonogram and told I had what looked like blocked milk ducts. I was not offered a mammogram or any further testing as I had no risk factors, no family history, I was young and my body probably hadn’t returned to normal after having my daughter.

12-18 months later I had noticed further changes. Looking back I had all the telltale signs Coppafeel! tell you to look out for. Dimpling, not an obvious lump but thickening, an inverted nipple, swelling and constant pain in my armpit. I asked for another referral to get a second opinion and at that check I was immediately told it didn’t look good and was almost certainly cancer. After weeks of agonising waiting I was told that it was cancer and unfortunately it had spread to my bones which means that I was treatable but no longer curable.

I immediately started chemotherapy, which I completed in February 2020, and an infusion of other drugs that I have every 3 weeks for as long as they continue to work. In June 2020 I was offered a mastectomy, which I asked for, and I then had radiotherapy in August 2020. I have been extremely lucky that these drugs have continued to keep my cancer stable for over 3 years now. Unfortunately, in January it was showing signs of waking up and so this year I have had two lots of radiotherapy (one to my hip and one to my spine) to try and keep the cancer at bay so that I can continue on this treatment for a little longer).

Since embarking on this journey my life, and my perspective on life, has completely changed. I was rushing around prior to my diagnosis trying to get through each day/week as a busy working mum. I now live with my eyes wide open, grateful for every day and trying to ensure each day I do something that brings me joy.

This was also part of my reasoning originally for applying for the Coppafeel! trek. To show myself, and others, what my body is capable of, even after the rough time it has had lately. To show my children that anything is possible and that their mummy is a determined little thing! To show myself and others that I am so much more than cancer. I am someone that is living a life with open eyes, gratitude and happiness despite cancer. A beautiful friend introduced me to a Brene Brown quote: “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”

Whilst I choose to focus on the positives however, this is not a journey I would want to be on. The physical side effects of chemo, drugs that need more drugs to manage side effects, and the mental torture of the ups and downs, the fear of planning for the future and the dreaded scanxiety every 3 months. If sharing my story means that more people are checking their chests, breasts, pecks, that one person is diagnosed early and cured then my decision to be brave and strong will have been worth it.

So this year I am continuing to support Coppafeel! and I need your help please to raise as much money as possible! My aims:

• To raise funds to help Coppafeel! reach more people and carry on the important work that they do;

• To raise awareness of the importance of regularly checking your chest so that you know your normal;

• To raise awareness to help others have the confidence to advocate for their own health. If you know your normal and something changes don’t be afraid to push for answers. It could save your life;

• To show that cancer does not discriminate – I was young, fit, healthy, no family history or risk factors and it happened to me. It could happen to anyone;

• To offer hope to fellow secondary brothers and sisters that you can live well with cancer. Your body is capable of so much more than you know; and

• To encourage everyone to live a full life doing things they love. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and amazing things will happen.