Opting for a double mastectomy was one of the hardest decisions of my life
After finding she carried the altered BRCA1 gene, Chantal made the decision to have a double mastectomy. She tells us why she feels it was r...
It took time, but I have now accepted breast cancer as part of my story
Tracy was diagnosed with breast cancer following a mammogram, and felt challenged by treatment side effects. Over time, she has been able to...
I've had to go through a lot of treatment on my own, but I feel really positive
When Deb was diagnosed with DCIS last year, she didn’t panic. Now, she’s just finished radiotherapy – and she explains why she’s still feeli...
Nobody talks about feeling self-conscious about your body after breast cancer
Kate and Sarah became friends after being diagnosed with breast cancer around the same time in 2018. They faced a lot of the same problems d...
After my breast cancer diagnosis, I needed a place to share my difficult thoughts
When Irene was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2020, she was so grateful for all her family support. However, she also needed to sp...
I regret my breast reconstruction decision, and I want other women to know their options
Gina was offered a single mastectomy with reconstruction after her breast cancer diagnosis in May last year but has regrets about the outcom...
Being diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age made it hard to find support
When Beth was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, she struggled to find other patients her age. After joining the Younger Women Together co...
When our older sister passed away from breast cancer, we wanted to do something in her memory
When their older sister, Susan, was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2016, Carol and Lisa began fundraising. They continue their ef...
After my cancer diagnosis, I started a care package charity for people in treatment
Oa set up littlelifts as a way of supporting people in active cancer treatment. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she is still making sure p...
My wife was given 6 months to live the same month we found out our daughter was pregnant
Shirley was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2016, but sadly passed away in 2020. Her husband, Bob, tells us about how one of her l...
I was always the caregiver in my family. When I got breast cancer, I had to learn how to be cared for
Julia had several unexpected hospital treatments when she had breast cancer. She learned how to let herself be cared for, and how to better ...
Getting breast cancer at 26 has turned my life upside down
When Tabby found a lump in her breast, she immediately feared the worst. Since starting treatment, she feels positive about the future.
Breast cancer stripped me of everything, but I felt born again
When Nina began treatment for breast cancer at the age of 36, she saw her body change drastically. As she began to recover, she discovered a...
Waiting to know what type of cancer I had left me completely terrified
Catrina, a writer and artistic director, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of last year. These excerpts from her blog show the tur...
Before my diagnosis, I was terrified of developing breast cancer
Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her mum had finished treatment. Despite her fears, she felt supported throughout and bey...
Losing my hair and my breast at 24 made me feel so alien
When Sacha was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, she felt isolated. Through social media, she was able to find support – and now hopes...
People with secondary breast cancer can still live a relatively normal life
When Sue was initially diagnosed with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer, she was told she may only have a year to live. Five years on, sh...
Volunteering helps the people I work with, but it's also been invaluable to me
Amanda, a retired radiographer who sadly lost her daughter to breast cancer, has been volunteering with university students to share her kno...
Having secondary breast cancer does not make me brave, but I have been able to live well with my diagnosis
Jane was initially diagnosed with breast cancer 14 years ago, then found out she had secondary breast cancer in 2012. She tells us about wha...
After losing two loved ones and developing breast cancer myself, I wanted to educate others
Breast cancer has been in Bami’s life ever since her mother was diagnosed. She uses her experience to make others aware of symptoms.
We shouldn’t think of breast cancer as a woman’s disease
10 years ago, Tony discovered he had breast cancer. Since then, he’s got involved with Breast Cancer Now to make other men aware of the risk...
I had to learn to be my own advocate when I had breast cancer
Verite was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, but still has side effects of treatment today. She explains here the importance of speaking...
We turn our golf green into a sea of pink once a year for Breast Cancer Now
Every year, Turnhouse Golf Club hosts a special event to raise money for Breast Cancer Now - and it's always a smashing success!
Having cancer 4 times over 17 years has given me a greater awareness of life
Angela was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989. Since then, she has done what she can to help others by volunteering and raising mone...
I took on a 100k running challenge while undergoing chemotherapy
Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer in the midst of the pandemic, and took on the 100k challenge while having treatment.
Getting breast cancer led me back into writing and onto a new career path
Jo discovered she had breast cancer and was a carrier of an altered BRCA2 gene. She had always enjoyed writing but after diagnosis she turne...
I hid my breast cancer diagnosis for years, but now I’m speaking out to help others
When Zahida discovered she had cancer, it was difficult to find support amongst friends and family because it was seen as a taboo topic. She...
I put off seeing a doctor because I believed that breast cancer was incurable
When Lorraine found a lump, she thought nothing could be done to help her. After her treatment and recovery, she turned her attention to hel...
It took 6 months for doctors to diagnose me with secondary breast cancer
Aliya experienced a long delay when seeking help for her secondary (metastatic) breast cancer symptoms. By speaking about her experience, sh...
Being diagnosed with breast cancer while supporting a young family changed everything
When Dawn was diagnosed with breast cancer, she worried about how her young daughter, Eve, might react.
A year after a clear mammogram, I had grade 3 cancer in my breast and lymph nodes
Vicks' diagnosis was a shock, and she found it difficult to manage treatment on top of being a single mum and starting a new job. Thankfully...
I used to think I was a victim of secondary breast cancer, now I see myself thriving
Jennifer struggled when she was diagnosed with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer, but has worked hard to change her attitude and to advoc...
Waiting for reconstruction has been hard, but I’ve got through it with humour
Carole was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 37. After a tough experience with chemotherapy, she’s also had to wait a long time for ...
After being part of a medical trial, I now help to approve future clinical trials for breast cancer patients
Opting to take part in a clinical trial has helped Hilary to realise the importance of research and motivated her to do more to represent pa...
My secondary breast cancer was misdiagnosed as a chest infection
When Joy initially started experiencing symptoms of secondary breast cancer, her doctors thought it was asthma-related. A decade later, she ...
Having breast cancer has given me a new zest for life
When she was diagnosed 5 years ago, Fran decided to approach her treatment with positivity. Now she looks back at the things that helped her...
Chemotherapy took so much from me, but I’ve found a way to take back control
While going through treatment for stage three breast cancer, Bal experienced hair loss, fatigue and ongoing brain fog. Thanks to support and...
Breast Cancer Now did so much to help me physically and mentally through my treatment
Tracy Armstrong was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2019. After three operations, and with the COVID-19 pandemic creating even mo...
2 months after being told I was cancer-free, I discovered I had secondary breast cancer
When Pam was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in October 2020, she was overwhelmed physically and emotionally. She tells us what she’...
My treatment was tough, but the emotional support I received had a huge impact on my recovery
Toria Kendrick was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after having a baby and seeing her own mother go through treatment. Once she felt we...
My marathon training was interrupted by breast cancer treatment, but that won’t stop me from running
Despite unpleasant treatment side effects and surgery recovery time, Danielle persevered with her training. Now, 18 months after her diagnos...
My doctor told me I had inflammation, but it was actually secondary breast cancer
After finishing treatment for primary breast cancer, Jac began feeling a pressure in her chest. It was eventually diagnosed as metastatic br...
I was told I had secondary breast cancer, but nobody explained what that meant
When Anne found a lump in her neck, she had no idea it could be linked to the breast cancer she had years earlier. She tells us how she got ...
Going through breast cancer treatment as a man is intimidating at times
When Richard was diagnosed with breast cancer he found that treatment was female-focused. Now, he is working to raise awareness for other me...
Talking to children about death or cancer can be difficult, so I wrote books to help them understand
Elke was diagnosed with breast cancer three years after her husband died. In both instances, she worked hard to be honest with her children ...
I use my breast cancer experience to raise awareness and money for others
When Dawn was diagnosed with breast cancer in March last year, she went on walks to maintain her physical and mental health. She tells us ho...
My mum hid her breast cancer symptoms for so long – by the time she was diagnosed, it was already too late
Chris’ mum, Gill, died of secondary breast cancer in March this year. He tells us about the wonderful person she was, as well as how he is r...
I was diagnosed 15 months after losing my husband to cancer
When Judi found out she had breast cancer in January 2021, she worried about navigating treatment alone. More than anything, she needed to f...
When I first noticed a change in my breast, I thought nothing of it
Lorraine’s breast cancer symptoms were not what she expected, so she didn’t see a doctor. When she was eventually diagnosed, she worried it ...
I want people to see the true picture of cancer
In 2013, Esther had a mastectomy to treat primary breast cancer. Following a secondary (metastatic) breast cancer diagnosis earlier this yea...