“Lean on your village, let them support you. It will surprise you who shows up for you during something like this. Adopt a gratitude mindset, there is no use in thinking “why me” because the answer doesn't change the diagnosis. Find gratitude in whatever you can and soak in the beauty of life.”

“Cancer doesn’t just affect your body; it touches every part of your identity and daily life. The emotional and logistical load is intense, but I’ve had to learn to lean on others. That part doesn’t come easily but there’s courage in letting go of control when you need to.”

It has changed my perspective on everything. Before, I was always rushing and trying to juggle so much. Now, I live more intentionally. I realised I don’t need to do it all - I need to be there, present and engaged, especially with my kids. Life feels more precious and unpredictable, and I’ve learned to breathe, to slow down, and to focus on what really counts.

“I have a new perspective on life and appreciate every moment. There is light at the end of the tunnel, try to focus on the now and not look too far ahead. One day and one step at a time. You are stronger than you think and can do this and will get through it!

Do your self breast exams and advocate for yourself if something doesn’t feel right. I wish I had pushed harder when things didn’t feel right. Early detection saves lives.”

“It can be incredibly overwhelming, but taking it all day by day has helped me slow down and sit with it all. There will be hard days but there will also be moment of joy and beautiful connection that you’ll never forget. I found courage by focusing on what I could control and letting go of what I couldn’t. My strength came from the support of my family, my partner, beautiful friends, the incredible support from my home town, Gloucester, and my own determination to keep moving forward, even when it was scary. This is just one chapter of my life, not the whole story.”

“I received so much love from family, friends, work and all the treating Doctors. All in all, I realised one thing, I wasn’t the only one, so many people are impacted by cancer, either going through it themselves or know someone close to them going through it - especially breast cancer. It just makes you so much more aware, I received so much support (donations friends made to charities, my sister now holds an annual fundraising event, my husband is raising money for breast cancer to run marathon – there’s so much support). It is really humbling.”

"What do you think is a common misconception about breast cancer? That it’s the “easy cancer”. I suppose it is seen this way as the survival rates are so good now, however you still have to go through the same rounds of chemo and surgery and then radiation/immunotherapy. It still impacts your life and those around you the same way any other cancer does regardless of the outcome."

“When I feel overwhelmed or sad, I’ve learned to permit myself to feel it - to cry, to release, and to process whatever comes up. This experience has completely reshaped my perspective. It’s made me re-evaluate what truly matters, what I spend my energy on, and how I want to live moving forward. Things that once felt important now seem trivial, and I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for health, connection, and the present moment.”

“After receiving such fantastic care from my breast care nurses last year, I decided to pursue a new specialty and have become a breast cancer nurse myself.  Caught early enough, breast cancer can be very manageable. This is why awareness and regular screening are so important. There are so many amazing resources to help you through your journey.  Courage for me really came from my family and friends, who were so strong and supportive.”

“It is amazing how quickly things are put into perspective when a cancer diagnosis is received, money and material objects are no longer priority. My first thoughts were my kids and partner Carla getting older, without myself to help them through what life will throw at them and also to see them succeed and enjoy those moments with them. It showed me even more so, how limited time we actually have walking this earth, how an event can change or shorten that time, and why does it take something like cancer or another diagnosis or life changing event, to actually wake us up to see what is important. For me, my diagnosis, although it is something I would rather have not had, when I look at it as a whole, is has opened up my eyes to what I need to keep working on to prioritise in my life and that is family and friends and creating as many memories together as possible."

“It’s been a complex journey. Physically, I was fortunate—my body handled treatment better than I expected, and I experienced minimal side effects compared to what others often go through. Because of that, there are days when I feel like an imposter, like my experience wasn’t “hard enough” to count.

But that’s only part of the story.

There were also days when I was completely exhausted—both physically and emotionally. The fatigue was real, and so was the mental toll. In many ways, it became a mind game: trying to balance gratitude with guilt, strength with vulnerability, and healing with uncertainty.

So yes, my life has been significantly impacted—not just by the treatment itself, but by everything it brought up in me. Recovery isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, psychological, and deeply personal.

“Being diagnosed with breast cancer has taken some things away, but it has also given me perspective. I’ve learned to slow down, to treasure the small, everyday moments that make up life, and to spend my time and energy wisely with the ones I love. The daily medication I take is a constant reminder to be kind to myself and to get excited about future adventures - because there are always special occasions to celebrate, grandchildren to welcome, and new memories to make.”

"My advice is to trust your medical team, be confident to ask questions and be comfortable with the course of treatment that you want to follow. Ultimately, this is your decision and if you don’t want to have chemo for example you don’t have to. Just be clear about what it is that you are agreeing to or choosing not to follow.

Cancer is not you. It’s not your fault and it is highly likely that you could not have done anything to prevent it”

One misconception is that the disruption in your life is temporary and you can return back to normal, but it is very hard to ‘catch up’ your life back to where it was before diagnosis.