"I will never be cancer free but I am determined to live life to the full"

Wendy’s Story

My story starts in January 2015. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I had the full ‘cancer experience’, mastectomy, full node clearance, chemo, radiotherapy, oral medication and lots of unexpected admissions, including a radical hysterectomy. I was 45, my children at that time were 8 and 19 yrs old. For the next four years life seemed to return to normal. I went back to work as a Community Mental Health Nurse, my husband worked abroad, my son continued with his university education and my daughter matured into a quirky, beautiful teenager. I continued to have regular checks with the brilliant Miss Saad, who was my Breast Consultant as well as six monthly appointments with Dr Wilson’s team at The Christie. All was going well, apart from a niggling pain in my collarbone which had been reviewed but was put down to nerve pain from radiotherapy.

In 2019 I saw that Prevent Breast Cancer, headed by Margo Cornish, were looking for 100 woman in Manchester who had/ have breast cancer, to become involved in an event called Breastfest. The uptake for breast screening in Greater Manchester was low and this had to be improved, this event was aimed at doing this.

I became a Boobee. I loved it. I met fabulous women, made lifelong friends and increased awareness of breast cancer. I strutted my stuff on the Figleaves catwalk. One boob, lots of scars and some excess Tamoxifen weight, but wow, so liberating.

I travelled to rehearsals with a fellow Boobee, Sam. During one trip, I mentioned to Sam the discomfort I’d been having for sometime in my collarbone. She encouraged me to contact Miss Saad to have it checked out.

So, four years and eleven months after my primary diagnosis, I had a bone scan. The good news, my collarbone was fine, the bad news, I had secondary breast cancer in my bones, affecting my skull, shoulder, hip and throughout my spine. I was now Stage Four and I knew I had to remain positive and continue with my mantra that all will be well. Unfortunately, five weeks after my diagnosis we were hit with another blow. My husband sustained a serious spinal injury whilst working in Japan, Covid was on the horizon and we had to get him home as soon as he was stable following surgery.

Life is a little different now. I took ill health retirement from a job I loved. My husband returned home after 7 months in hospital and continues with his rehab.

The staff at Maggie’s, alongside my secondary breast cancer nurse, completed forms for a Blue Badge following a change in my physical health.They offer lots of services form Benefits advice to Counselling. A safe, soothing environment which is there for those affected by Cancer and their families.

I will never be cancer free but I am determined to live life to the full, see my family achieve milestones and continue to live by the mantra that all will be well.

I am looking forward to being on the catwalk with new friends as well as Mr Rick Astley. They say, “Every cloud!!”