Paige's Giving Page

My best friends mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2016. 3 years on she is fit, healthy and ready to shine!! Please see Sharons Story below. Sharon's Story: I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer, HER2 positive, which had spread into the lymph nodes in May 2016 - don’t ask me how I missed it! I was shocked as I had thought I was invincible but somehow “it” happened! I can’t really describe the feeling but I remember thinking how am I going to tell all those I love and how the hell am I going to deal with it! I’ve never had a great pain threshold and I knew I was going to have to draw on some inner strength I really hoped I had! I was determined that the diagnosis would only interrupt, not control, my life. Many tests, six months of chemo, mastectomy & removal of lymph nodes, reconstruction, 30 sessions of radiotherapy and a further year of targeted treatment later I am fit, healthy and feeling incredibly lucky! Despite the changes on the outside, the biggest changes are on the inside – I hope I’ve learned to love harder, be kinder and take joy in the small things. There are times I completely forget but there are other times more difficult to deal with where I do remember and the reality, impact and enormity of it all just kind of hits you. I guess that’s natural and I try to allow myself to have some introspective moments too. “Stop crying your heart out - try not to worry” were the Oasis lyrics I would sing as loud as I could when no-one was listening! I’m not brave – there is little choice but to show up for surgery and treatment but we are all different and you need to find your own ways of getting through it – whatever works just do it! I’m now looking forward to just being me again! I was told that 10 years ago my prognosis would have been very different but the amazing research that charities fund and the resulting advances in treatment have literally saved my life. So. I will be taking part in the London Shine Walk with my amazing daughters, my very special niece and some wonderful close friends. Please support us and help other women who have, are or will hear those words that everyone fears, have the same outcome and the same chance to enjoy life to the fullest. None of us are promised tomorrow – make each moment count. It’s very precious! Thank you. Each year Cancer Research UK’s scientists get closer to beating cancer, and they’ve helped double survival rates in the last 40 years. But we can’t stop there. Only with our continued support can they turn this research into breakthroughs that save millions of lives. Every single pound you donate makes a difference to Cancer Research UK’s groundbreaking work, so please sponsor me now.