The MoonWalk London 2012. Left to right Dani (Tessa’s mum), Tessa, Lauren (Tessa’s friend from school, who is also doing The MoonWalk again this year)
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2025, at the age of just 39. I check my breasts regularly, which meant that I discovered my lump early, before it had the chance to grow.
I’m taking on the Half Moon (15.1 miles) at The MoonWalk London in May, just months after my diagnosis, to raise awareness that breast cancer can affect anyone, whatever their age.
Signing up for The MoonWalk, while I’m still going through treatment, is giving me a reason to get out there and to get my fitness back. My beautiful Aunt Tricia was the reason I got into the habit of checking myself regularly. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at a similar age to me. However, she waited a couple of years before getting the lump she found in her breast checked out. Her partner was very unwell at the time and she didn’t want the focus to be switched to her. Although she was successfully treated once she was diagnosed, the cancer had been discovered much later than it might have been. The disease later returned – this time it had spread, became untreatable and she sadly passed away.
My mum and I took part in our first MoonWalk London in 2011, walking the Full Moon (26.2 miles) in Tricia’s memory not long after she died in November 2010.
We’d never done taken on anything like a marathon previously! That first MoonWalk was incredibly emotional – we took part in the event five years in a row. It was our way of doing something for Tricia.
Ever since Tricia died, my siblings and I have always regularly checked our breasts – exactly what I was doing one day in August 2025, when I found a small lump. It wasn’t visible, there were no other signs, like puckering of the skin – I simply wouldn’t have found it, if I hadn’t consciously been checking myself.
As soon as I felt the lump in my breast, I cried.
I knew that I needed to get the lump checked out straight away. I contacted my GP the next morning and managed to arrange an appointment the same day. Even though I was quite young, the GP was very understanding and referred me to the breast clinic straight away. The nurse there thought my lump would probably be hormonal, but as they did more and more tests, including an ultrasound scan, a mammogram and biopsies, I sensed that I probably did have breast cancer. Thank goodness they did all those extra checks.
When I was officially told that I had breast cancer on 12th September, in a way, it wasn’t a huge shock. My immediate reaction was that I just wanted to crack on with the treatment!
Most importantly, I was told that my cancer was “treatable and curable”. And that’s now my mantra – my motto for life, through months of treatment. Because I was checking my breasts and noticed the changes to my body, my breast cancer was caught very early. If I’d left it a few years to get that lump checked out, the outcome could have been very different. I feel very lucky.
I’ve had seven rounds of chemotherapy to get rid of any cancer cells which might have moved around my body and I’ll now have a lumpectomy (in mid March) and radiotherapy. My surgery is exactly two months before The MoonWalk, so I have lots of training to do, but I’m so glad I have a target! Losing my hair has been traumatic and the chemo has been tough, but I keep telling myself that my hair will grow back.
Tessa as she started to lose her hair
I feel that all the exercise I did before my diagnosis and the fact that I was really healthy is making a difference and my experience of chemotherapy hasn’t always been as bad as it is for some people.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was the healthiest I’d ever been in my life and I know that will stand me in good stead in the long run. Signing up for The MoonWalk London in May, so soon after I was diagnosed and while I’m still going through treatment, is giving me a reason to get out there and, to get my fitness back. I’m starting to get more into a routine and going out for a walk when I can. A walk is so good for your mental health too.
After I was diagnosed, but a few weeks before I started chemo, I completed the Surrey Three Peaks challenge, which I absolutely loved – 22 hilly miles in around nine hours! I took part in that challenge with my Bootcamp UK Guildford friends – I’ll be doing The MoonWalk with them too, as well as with members of my family. They’ve all been a huge support over the last few months.
Tessa was diagnosed with breast cancer on 12th September. On 11th October, she completed the Surrey Three Peaks with her Bootcamp group
I can’t wait to be back at The MoonWalk again – the atmosphere is absolutely buzzing every year.
There’s such huge emotion – the sheer number of people taking part makes you realise just how many people have some sort of link to breast cancer. I really love the fact that everyone is uniting together for the same cause and of course taking part in The MoonWalk this year will be even more personal for me after my own diagnosis.
The way I look at it, this is a period in my life which I will get through. Everything will get back to normal and I will be back travelling again and doing everything else I love. I’ve always been a very independent person and even just letting people help me recently during my treatment has been a big deal! I’ve stayed at my parents for the weekend after my chemotherapy sessions, but then go back to my own home on the Monday. I’m also at work most days. I love my job in event production and don’t want that to be taken away from me, at the time when I most need my life to be as normal as possible.
It really scares me that if I hadn’t been checking my breasts, it could have been years before my cancer was discovered.
I’m only 39 and wouldn’t have had a regular mammogram until I was 50. I know so many people in my age bracket who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and that’s scary.
I’m being very open about my diagnosis and I feel that’s really important. I want to encourage as many people as possible to check themselves regularly. If you discover any changes to your breasts, get yourself checked out as soon as possible – whatever your age. Don’t put it off. The earlier breast cancer can be diagnosed, the greater the possibility that it might be treatable and curable!”
Thank you for sharing your story Tessa and we look forward to seeing you and your huge team at The MoonWalk London 2026.