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Me and the big C


You might know me as the energetic head of delivery at the Greater London Authority, or maybe you've seen me cheering on my daughter from the side-lines, or even spotted me lacing up for a run around the neighbourhood. I’ve always been "that" person…. you know, the one who's perpetually busy, always moving, and health-conscious to boot. Given all this, you can imagine how blindsiding my recent breast cancer diagnosis was. It hit me out of nowhere. I’m the one who meal preps, squeezes in HIIT workouts after work and before dinner, who runs rain or shine. Heck, I even completed a marathon in the Autumn of 2018! But here’s the reality, life doesn’t care about your plans or routines. One quiet Saturday night changed everything for me. As I lay in bed, doing my routine self-check, something I’ve done faithfully - given I know my breasts can be naturally lumpy, I found something different. It wasn’t like the usual lumps; this one felt distinctly... wrong, almost like there was a grape hidden under my skin. I wasted no time, contacting my GP first thing Monday morning, and before I knew it, I was thrust onto the cancer pathway. It’s been a wild and terrifying ride since then. From the agonizing wait for my appointment to getting the scans and biopsies done, to hearing the diagnosis of stage two invasive ductal carcinoma; it’s been surreal. Walking out of the clinic with a hefty bag of pamphlets and that heart-shaped pillow for post-surgery, I felt like I had been handed a membership to a club I never wanted to join. From a seamless routine to a calendar bloated with appointments for surgeries, chemotherapies, and endless tests… it’s been overwhelming, to say the least. I’ve learned that no matter how much you plan, some things just aren’t in your control. And for someone like me, who thrives on schedule and predictability, this has been one of the hardest lessons. But through it all, I keep telling myself how lucky I am, the cancer was caught in time, and treatment plans were quickly in place. Each tough day is a step toward hopefully many more years ahead… years I can spend with my family and friends, years I can use to give back and support others who might find themselves on this unexpected journey. If there’s one thing I urge you to do, it’s this: take your health seriously. Keep up with those self-checks. If something feels off, don’t wait around. Being proactive could save your life. Sharing all this isn’t easy, but if it helps even one person get checked sooner or feel less alone in their journey, then it’s all worth it. Thanks for letting me open up. We may not choose the trials life gives us, but we can choose how we rise to meet them.

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Location: Brighton, Brighton and Hove, UK

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