"I left Maggie’s with my fight face on, I knew what I needed to do."

Antonia’s Story

At 39 yrs young I found a lump (more like a long ridge, but it was different to my other breast) I immediately contact the doctors, was referred and booked into the breast care unit. On arrival I was issued a pink gown and asked to sit in a room of around 40 other women all in pink gowns, my heart sank at the enormity of cancer, I remember thinking, is this every day, every week?

Within 8 hours I had received scans, had biopsy on my lymph nodes, more scans and at 4pm on March 22 I was introduced to my consultant who sat next to me on the bed and held my hand whilst she told me I had Herr2+ Stage 3 breast cancer… I was 39 with 2 children, I just looked at my husband.

I’m fortunate that Maggie’s Oldham is directly over the road from the breast care unit, a friend advised me to go straight into Maggie’s. This is the BEST move I made. This was my first visit, when my world was falling down around me, and I needed somebody who could help me to see a glimmer of hope. I’d wrote down the pockets of information from the consultant, and Sinead at Maggie’s went through each part and told it me in layman’s terms, I didn’t know there were 4 stages of cancer, I think this was when it hit me, I’m in a bit of bother here.

I left Maggie’s with my fight face on, I knew what I needed to do, I knew the journey ahead would be far from easy, I think I can honestly say I went to hell and back.  Chemotherapy had me hospitalised twice to the point I said I don’t want any more!, Operations, Radiotherapy, ongoing  hormone suppressant medication for the next 3 yrs. With some real wobbles along the way.

We had planned to go to America for my 40th, my daughter was due to turn 16 in the may and take her GCSE’s in June , Cancer couldn’t of happened at a worse time for my family. I already had my mum and father-in-law with cancer, I remember my husband saying why me? this is all his family! (We have all survived!)

The hardest thing I have ever had to do was sit my children down and tell them I had cancer.  Maggie’s gave us appropriate age-related books for my children to help them understand what was happening to their mum and the journey we were about to embark on as a family. I got a book called Cancer is a funny thing, it was a real honest account, and just what I needed!

Maggie’s Manchester was my haven when I was in Christies, sitting in the garden was so calming in a world of medication, injections, sickness and despair. Hubby and I could just breath and this was so needed. It allowed me not to have to ‘be strong’ or ‘put a brave face on’ no matter how poorly I was although I still felt like I had to shield my children when home.

I’m now 2 yrs. clear, living my absolute best life, saying yes to absolutely everything I can. I was 40 just after my last chemo session on the 6th sept, so the following year I had a 40/41’s party, with boobie balloons! I wasn’t missing out. I’ve completed zip wires, completed mud runs, help create a lady’s cricket team ( The mighty Moorsiders ( More – ciders!) who help me support Maggie’s, and more than anything else, loving the journey my hair is having!!

I was extremley lucky to have an amazing husband who came to every single meeting / appointment sat with me for every Chemotherapy, he was by my side every single step of the journey. I wanted to be in control of my journey so when the time was right for me, Damian shaved my head and in turn I shaved his, we were doing this together! Some  people don’t have that luxury and support network, which is when Maggie’s is needed even more. The emotional support you receive is second to non, Maggie’s is a vital resource which we need to ensure is accessible to anyone effected by this awful disease.    

I am currently chair of the volunteers at Oldham Maggie’s, and supporter of Maggie’s Manchester, when the opportunity to be a catwalk model came up, how could I not apply!