“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of just 32, only a year after my wedding.
Now that I’m coming out the other side of my treatment, I’m want to do as much as I can to support the charities who help people like me. That’s why I’m taking on the Half Moon (15.1 miles) at The MoonWalk London 2026. I also want to raise awareness about the importance of advocating for yourself with medical professionals when you’re young. My cancer might have been diagnosed much later than it was, if I hadn’t stood up for myself.
I found a lump in my right breast in August 2024. It was a couple of months before my 33rd birthday and my husband Ashley and I hadn’t even reached our first wedding anniversary. Even though I was young, I was very aware of breast cancer. My grandmother on my mum’s side had been diagnosed twice. We’d also had other forms of cancer in the family – it’s a disease I’ve grown up with. We always had a very open dialogue about cancer at home.
My wedding
I always checked myself regularly and it was when I was feeling my breasts in the shower that I found a lump, around the size of a 20 pence piece. It hadn’t been there the day before. I instantly recognised that it was something new and called my GP. My appointment was the following day and my doctor was brilliant. He didn’t fob me off, apologised that he couldn’t give me reassuring news there and then, but was going to refer me for further tests.
Even at this early stage, in my heart, I knew that I was probably looking at a breast cancer diagnosis, because of my family history. Unfortunately, it was at this stage that I started having to fight my own corner, to get myself checked properly.
At the one stop clinic, their initial reaction was that I was too young to get breast cancer.
The nurses put me down as a low priority for a further scan. But I knew that I needed to be checked quickly – so I begged for a quicker appointment. I managed to get myself an appointment in a breast clinic for the under 40’s, but only because I felt able to advocate for myself. It’s not something which everyone will feel able to do.
It was a different nurse this time doing my ultrasound. Once she’d found my lump, she told me that I needed to have a biopsy the next day. She also started checking my other breast. I was booked in for an MRI scan later that week and had various other tests. I sensed what my results would be.
I was told on 25th September 2024 that I had grade 3 triple negative breast cancer, a particularly fast-growing type of cancer. I was so relieved that I’d been able to advocate for myself. If I hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t be sat here today.
I then saw the oncologist – the plan was that I would have chemotherapy for six months, then surgery. I had two types of chemo – the second type was really strong, known as the red devil. It wasn’t all plain sailing. Unfortunately, I had sepsis twice during chemo, after I had the red devil and was in hospital for a while. Aside from that, I didn’t get too sick and the chemo nurses at the East Surrey hospital were the nicest human beings I’ve ever come across in my entire life. They were so friendly and they made everything wonderful. I actually cried when I had to leave the chemo suite at the end of my treatment.
(pictured left) In the chemo suite with my best friend Rachel & (pictured right) the red devil
I lost all my hair during chemo. I used to be waist length blonde and it was heart-breaking. My husband shaved my head once my hair started to fall out. I just wanted to take control. However, I had a very “Sami” way of dealing with what was happening to me!
Each time I went for my chemo, I would wear a different wig and created a different look!
They weren’t expensive wigs – just ten pound ones bought from the internet. They were surprisingly good. I didn’t want to spend silly money on something which I was only going to wear for a year, because I knew that my hair would grow back.
I decided I would be blonde one day, brown another, and then wore a red wig for when I had my “red devil” chemo. I even had a 1980’s style Cher wig! All my friends started buying wigs for me as well. I literally had a wig for every different look and it was totally brilliant! I also had some fabulous scarves. My hair has now grown back and I’ve got a nice little pixie cut.
Left to right: Black & white wig, this was the day of my first Red Devil so it called for a red wig, 80’s Cher wig, another wig
After chemo, my surgery was a single mastectomy with an implant. Unfortunately, the implant got infected and I needed emergency surgery to remove it. I’m now flat on my right side.
Thankfully, my test results after the mastectomy were good. I had a complete pathological response, which was great news, meaning that I was cancer free. For me, it’s now a case of getting to the five-year mark of being cancer free, because my type of breast cancer – triple negative – has a high rate of reoccurrence. That’s something which weighs heavily on me every day. I feel a bit like I’m a ticking time bomb. It’s there all the time at the moment.
Me and the chemo team at East Surrey Hospital. This was my final chemo day when I rang the bell.
I think I’ve now got some PTSD which has suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
I was fine all the way through treatment – I was surrounded by health care professionals who were constantly checking on me. I had checkups, scans and blood tests regularly. But as soon as I came out of that bubble and didn’t see people as frequently, I felt a lot less protected. Like I had lost my safety net really!
My chemo finished on 16th May 2025 and as it turns out, The MoonWalk London is taking place on Saturday 16th May 2026!
It was meant to be. I’ll be taking on the Half Moon (15.1 miles) with my husband Ashley and my mum Jeni. I’ve never done a half marathon before! I used to go to the gym quite a lot back in the day. I was very fit and healthy and I’m sure I will be again!
Me, my mum Jeni and my husband Ashley
Training for The MoonWalk will help me get back even more to my normal self, giving me a goal to aim for. I’ve done so much for various breast cancer charities since my diagnosis and I just throw myself into anything. I want to give back to the charities which have been there for me.
No-one realises when you’re a young person with cancer, just how much of your identity you lose.
Cancer destroys every inch of someone’s being and then you have to rebuild. My breast cancer diagnosis has totally changed my life. I’m 100 per cent not the same person that I was before cancer, and I don’t think I ever will be. It’s a hard pill to swallow. Taking on this challenge with Walk the Walk feels like the perfect way to celebrate how far I’ve already come, to honour everyone who has supported me along the way, and to raise vital funds for others who are still on their journey.
The last year has been tough, but I want to draw the positives from it. I want to raise money, but also awareness. My message is that people of all ages should 100 per cent make sure that they are checking themselves regularly. Trust and believe your gut feelings and make sure that you’re advocating for yourself, if you can. As I know, anyone can get breast cancer”.
Thank you for sharing your story Sami and we look forward to seeing you and your team at The MoonWalk London 2026!