Personal stories | Breast Cancer Now

Nes, a personal stories contributor, pictured by the Taj Mahal

Breast Cancer Voices is a way for me to continue to give back

A photo of Claire and her husband smiling on the covered terrace of a sunlit restaurant.

It feels really important to raise awareness - I've loved every minute

A photo of Paula smiling with a large bunch of tulips.

I want people to see that you can live well with a diagnosis

A selfie photo of Anjali, who has very short dark hair, is wearing a grey hoodie, and is smiling.

I thought, “when I get to the end of this, I’m going to give back"

Support, Services, Support Marketing

Talking to other women my age, I felt seen and understood

Rosaviyah, a woman with brown hair, a black top and pink patterned scarf, posing for a photo outside, with a tree in the background.

I found the Moving Forward course incredibly reassuring

Carolynn Gregory standing in front of a fire truck wearing her uniform

As an operational firefighter, the Walk 100 Miles in May challenge helped me get back on my feet

Model, The Show

We need to open up the conversation about breast cancer in the South Asian community

Support, Services, Support Marketing

Someone Like Me gave me the chance to let it all out

A selfie photo of Louise, who is smiling, has light hair and is wearing a yellow coat. She is outside, with an Autumnal tree in the background.

I would do the Walk 100 challenge again in a heartbeat

A portrait photo of Amanda, smiling. She is wearing a heart necklace and a stripy top.

Amanda's story

A photo of Jacqui, Mel, Kate and Louise sitting around a table in a cafe, smiling.

Moving Forward with Breast Cancer Now: our stories

Tori wearing a pink Breast Cancer Now running vest, holding a large photo frame that says 'running to change the future of breast cancer'

The Great North Run has always been close to my heart – this year I’m running for my friend and my mum

Maria outside next to the river Thames, in front of a grand, tall building and beside an old lamppost. She is wearing a bright pink coat and holding a champagne glass.

Maria's story

Photo of John who is wearing an orange and grey flat cap, glasses and an orange anorak, smiling in a cafe.

As men, we’ve got to be prepared to talk about breast cancer

Monica sat at a table with a bar in the background. She has long brown hair, gold earrings and a gold bracelet.

Rediscovering intimacy after breast cancer isn’t about going back to how things were – it's about finding even deeper closeness than before

Alyson sat at a table on a balcony with a glass of white wine

My advice to anyone who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer - listen to your body

Charli, her family and their dog, stood in front of a large still lake with hills in the background

If I’d known more about the signs and symptoms of secondary breast cancer, I wouldn’t have doubted myself

Peggy on holiday, with decorative dome structures made of stone behind her.

Sometimes we underestimate the power of the patient experience, but our voices can make change happen

Photo of Neva, who is wearing glasses, a light coloured headscarf and a flowery dress. She is smiling. It is sunny and there are bushes in the background.

As a Voice, I use my experience to make lasting, positive change

Linda and Lucy sat next to each other on a white sofa. Behind them are windows showing a garden with pink flowers.

If Emma could see some of the things we've done to raise money, she'd be proud

Colin and his family going for a walk in the park. A little boy is sat on his shoulders pointing to the sky. Everyone is wearing winter coats.

When Gill passed away, I knew that I had to do something that made sure her story lived on

Photo of Leighanne with her dog in a wood. Leighanne has shoulder length brown hair, is wearing a tracksuit, and is smiling. She is crouching next to her dog, who has cream-coloured, fluffy fur.

Giving something back as a Breast Cancer Voice is such a privilege

A photo of Jackie, swimming outdoors. The water comes up to her shoulders. She is wearing a woolly hat and swimming costume, and is smiling. In the background are rocks and trees.

Jackie's story

Photo of Rani wearing a blue and gold sari. She is also wearing glasses, and is smiling

We have so much more to do to raise breast cancer awareness in the Asian community

Carol sat at a table, with a bar in the background. She is wearing a black long-sleeved top and a long silver necklace.

I hope that my work will improve things even further for people going through breast cancer

David with his arm around Gill, holding hands. They are both smiling at the camera, sat close together at a table.

In memory of my beautiful wife Gill, I’m teeing off 100 holes in a single day

Selfie of Angela, smiling and wearing a shoulder-length pink wig and a colourful Christmas jumper.

How wearing silly wigs led to raising £15,000

Natalie holding her baby daughter outside on a path, surrounded by trees and tall grass. Natalie has shoulder length blonde hair and is grinning with a hand on her hip.

Being a Breast Cancer Voice is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life

Lorraine on the beach, wearing a pink knitted cap, a black jacket, and sunglasses. The sand, sea and sunset are behind her.

I’ve raised over £30,000 as a volunteer, and this is just the beginning

A photo of Louise, a smiling blonde woman wearing sunglasses and a black t-shirt. In the background are reeds, grass and a wooden walkway.

The Moving Forward course inspired me to take back control

Aimee wearing a pink Breast Cancer Now running vest with her name printed on it. She is stood in a green patch of grass with her hands on her hips.

My nana is my reason for running the London Marathon

A photo of Claire, standing smiling in a sports hall, holding a pink and white tennis racket.

Getting back into sport after my diagnosis made me feel alive and strong again

Joanna and a group of walkers posing with a larger white frame that says Hope with every step.

Walking together was overwhelming and wonderful

Aimee and Jane volunteering

Volunteering at the Pink Ribbon Walk meant so much to me

Almona and her son on a beach in Barcelona. They are both smiling, and the sand and sea is behind them.

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

Photo of Becky leading a yoga session at the pin ribbon walk. She is sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat with her arms raised up. Another woman sits facing her in the same pose. Both are wearing pink Breast Cancer Now t-shirts.

Joining the Pink Ribbon Walk gave me such a lift

Darlaine pointing to a poster of herself. The poster reads 'Tai Chi, meet the sea.' and features a photo of Darlaine swimming in the sea.

Swimming after breast cancer is so freeing

Photo of Robert, a bald man wearing glasses, dark trousers and a pink Breast Cancer Now t-shirt, holding a Breast Cancer Now collection bucket and standing in front of a pink table displaying Breast Cancer Now merchandise in a shopping centre.

15 years later, we’ve reached our £100,000 fundraising goal

Emily wearing a graduation gown and cap. She is stood on a pavement in front of a patch of grass outside her university.

As a Breast Cancer Voice, I’m helping to shape the future of breast cancer support and care

Alex with dyed green hair, a green t shirt and red glasses

The younger women with secondaries event helped me feel less alone

Photo of Nikki and her sister Michelle on a sunny day at the Pink Ribbon Walk. They are both wearing sunglasses and pink Breast Cancer Now t-shirts, and smiling. They are holding up a large cardboard picture frame to frame their faces. Text on the frame reads "Hope with every step"

We all have our own stories but we’re walking for the same goal

A woman lifting a barbell above her head at a weightlifting competition. She has light brown hair and is wearing a headband, a black singlet and a pink weightlifting belt. She has a triumphant look on her face.

Getting fit helped me power through my treatment, and now I’m a weightlifting champion

Selfie photo of two women smiling with Pink Ribbon Walk finishers' medals. The are both wearing sunglasses and pink Breast Cancer Now t-shirts and standing in a grassy field with event signs in the background.

The Pink Ribbon Walk was the highlight of my year

Tony, a man with shoulder length white hair, dark eyebrows, a gold earring and a handlebar moustache, wearing a green and white striped polo t-shirt, with some tattoos visible on his arms. Posing for portraits, sat outside on a bench, with the wind through his hair.

I had no idea men could get breast cancer

Hedwig smiling and giving a thumbs up. She is wearing glasses and a pink Breast Cancer Now shirt. Behind her is a bookcase and a desk.

I love spreading awareness in local communities

Photo of 4 volunteers at the Pink Ribbon walk. They are all smiling and wearing orange Breast Cancer now T-shirts. One is holding some medals, one is waving, one has an air horn and the other a tambourine.

Volunteering at the Pink Ribbon Walk was wonderful

Fiona on the deck of a boat, looking out to sea. She has short grey hair and is wearing a blue and grey shell coat.

As a Breast Cancer Voice, I’ve regained a sense of purpose

Graham and his daughter running the London Marathon, they're both wearing pink Breast Cancer Now running vests. Graham is holding a microphone and has a karaoke machine strapped to him in a harness. A large ship is in the background.

My favourite thing about running karaoke marathons is the look on people’s faces

Helen, who has light blonde hair, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a red dress with a white flower pinned to the chest, pearl earrings and a gold necklace that says 'Helen'.

My advice to anyone considering breast reconstruction

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