Heather’s Story

I’m Heather, I arrogantly thought I was too young and fit to get cancer; thought I’d be protected because I am a nurse and needed for the greater good. What a daft mind set! Anyway, in my mid 40s I was diagnosed with Triple Negative breast Cancer. I was obviously utterly shocked and frightened to death because this arrived completely out of the blue. It turned out to be aggressive, invasive and pretty defiant against chemo. Not long after completing my chemo, surgery and radiotherapy, while I was enjoying a few months “Cancer Free”, it only went and came back when I found another lump on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve in 2018. I was soon in the throws of more surgery and more chemo, but no radiotherapy this time.

That’s all about me in a nutshell, but cancer isn’t all about me. Cancer tried to destroy my family. It devastated my husband, my children, my friends. I had no choice but to get on with what ever came my way, to paint a smile on my face and largely go around saying “I’m Fine”. However, for all of my family and friends that love and care for me – well I would have hated to be in their position. Having to watch and witness what the treatment does to the person they love, having to wait helplessly for scan results and hoping for good news.

This is where Maggie’s is irreplaceable. I spent time there with my husband, my daughter, my friend, my sister in law… It is a refuge for all those that cancer’s ripples reach. It feels like a safe haven, a sanctuary, a big blanket around your shoulders – and that is not just the person with cancer. This facility can be the difference between coping and going off the rails. Maggie’s looked after my husband – he can’t even really say why, how or put his finger on it, but he just felt cared for and secure. That’s really important when you or someone you love is going through months or even years of treatment for cancer.

I feel that there has to be reason for me being blighted by cancer, for having had my nursing so badly interrupted by my treatment. So I use it to help others. I want to educate and empower women with regard to breast cancer and breast health awareness, I want to help raise funds for charities that were there to help me and my family, so that is exactly why I’m helping to support Maggie’s raise vital funds to ensure they are there for people for many years to come when they are needed.

I’m very much looking forward to taking part in MOTR, especially as I lost both breasts to breast cancer and couldn’t have reconstruction. I choose not to wear prosthetics – personal choice – but I prefer to accept and celebrate the woman who came through this with the body that helped her to survive. So I look forward to flaunting myself on the catwalk with my flat chest – possibly even in my underwear! There isn’t too much choice I might add, which is why I launched a new brand with my friend, The Skarlette, especially for women like me. Maggie’s is a centre people come to for all sorts of advice and counselling and I’m keen to help in any way I can.