I want to make sure that future generations have a better experience of breast cancer

Tell us about yourself

I’m 60 years old, a mother to a 21-year-old, and I live in West Berkshire. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Since then, I’ve been keeping physically active and nourishing my heart, soul and mind.

Did you get any support when you were diagnosed with breast cancer?

I signed up to Breast Cancer Now’s Someone Like Me service. The service pairs you with someone who has had a similar experience, so you can talk to someone who really understands what you’re going through.

I was brilliantly matched with Helen, who I’ve been speaking to on the phone since November 2023. At first, we had weekly chats, but since my recovery has progressed, we now speak every 6 months. Through our conversations, I get support, reassurance and information. Needless to say, Helen has become a special friend.

Helen has been through a similar journey to me, so she can relate and empathise with my experience. Breast cancer can sound like an alien world to someone who hasn’t been diagnosed, so speaking to someone who understands can be life changing.

Have you got involved with anything else at Breast Cancer Now?

I joined Breast Cancer Voices in 2023. It’s a network of people who use their voice and breast cancer experience to shape things for others. All our experiences are unique, and we all have something to offer, no matter our age, ethnicity or background.

I signed up because I hope to make a difference in the breast cancer world. I want to make sure that future generations have a better experience of breast cancer, from diagnosis to life after treatment. By being involved, I hope to shape Breast Cancer Now’s campaigns and services throughout the UK.

What have you been involved in as a Breast Cancer Voice?

I’ve shared my experience of breast cancer as a patient advocate, and I’ve collaborated on research projects.

I’m particularly focused on minority ethnic groups, whose voices are rarely heard. Research shows that many people from ethnic communities experience different breast cancer outcomes, and they may fear getting screened for cultural or other reasons.

Fear of coming forward makes it harder to get an early diagnosis. And when people are diagnosed, it may prevent them from seeking treatment. Breast Cancer Now are doing all they can to improve these outcomes and to prioritise equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Through Breast Cancer Voices, I’ve taken part in a few EDI projects. One project involved looking at how we can increase the diversity of volunteers at the charity. Another involved reaching out to diverse communities to improve awareness of the support available.

Can you tell us more about these EDI projects?

For the project, we had a group of 6 Breast Cancer Voices and 2 members of Breast Cancer Now staff. We met each week for 6 weeks over Zoom.

During the project, we shared our individual breast cancer journeys and the effect they had on us, our family, our friends and our colleagues. For both projects, we were focused on improving diversity in Breast Cancer Now’s work.

We were particularly focused on minority ethnic communities, where women are less likely to get screened for breast cancer and face barriers to attending. We drew on our personal experience to understand these barriers and how we could improve things. We also heard from over 40 women about their experiences accessing breast cancer support, which was very moving.

What does it mean to you to be a Breast Cancer Voice?

It meant a lot to me to be involved with these study groups. Over 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Early diagnosis is key to saving lives and giving a better quality of life to people with breast cancer. I’m pleased to be doing my bit to bring this about.

Being a Breast Cancer Voice empowers, uplifts and energises me. It makes me feel valued and has given me a sense of purpose. I’ve also found new friends and widened my support network. I feel like I’m playing a part and contributing to society.