Heidi talks about her secondary breast cancer and Walk the Walk

‘You are so strong’

‘I couldn’t cope if it was me’

‘I don’t know how you keep smiling’

‘I would fall apart’

‘You are so brave’

Just a few of the sentences from the hundreds that I’ve heard following my secondary diagnosis.

The truth is you have no choice but to get on with it, it’s happening, if we all knew what was around the corner then we would all be dreading every coming day, preparing ourselves, and anticipating the awful things that could happen and might collide into our life at break neck speed, shattering our ‘normal’ into a world filled with things that you didn’t plan on being in it. Oncologists, mastectomy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, metastatic illness, blood tests, scans and the shock of being the unlucky one in eight.

It’s not a case of being brave, I don’t always feel brave, I may outwardly be looking in control, but inside I often feel frightened, sad, confused, worried and very alone, frequently emotionally exhausted.  

This all sounds very doom in gloom, but in reality it’s actually not. I have the most special insight into what is important and who is important, and what really matters to me. I view myself incredibly lucky to have the chance to cherish every day to truly understand how precious life is.

In 2010, 2 years on from my first diagnosis, a friend asked me to ‘MoonWalk’ with her, I reluctantly agreed, joking how the sporting gene had kind of passed me by and walking wasn’t my ‘thing’. However I was determined to turn my negative into a positive and prove to my young children that Mummy was doing just fine now. I had absolutely no idea what a life changing experience it would become, how it was a catalyst for absolutely wonderful stuff to happen. I finally had a confidence in my capabilities, realised I could achieve goals and truly believed in my inner strength. It was so much more than just walking.

It was headspace, breathing time, laughing and talking with a beloved friend or just walking in silence and appreciating the beauty of where we live. I learnt how to be me again. I became part of a much bigger movement, a Walk the Walk family. I wasn’t in this alone at all, there was a whole community behind me.

All these years on, and with further more advance diagnosis’, Walk the Walk continues to be my saviour. My sporting gene theory was obviously wrong, 7 full moons and many half moon’s later, I’m insanely proud of the miles I’ve walked, the money I have raised and the difference that I know I have made, not only to the charities that Walk the Walk support, but to the other people who subsequently have received diagnosis and can’t find their way to finding their new normal.

Hope is something that isn’t easily distinguished in people, but sometimes something we need to be guided to. The friendships I have formed through it will last a lifetime, I am so grateful to have met them.

I have stood with pride as a Marshall at Mile 22 in recent years, holding my sign which inadequately tries to portray my thanks to the walkers that are tired, sore, emotional, a little delirious and doubting themselves. I truly mean it when I say every step they make helps. Every year I am in awe at their resilience, perseverance and determination. If you’ve not volunteered before, try it. It’s just as hard work (if not harder!) as walking a whole MoonWalk but SO rewarding and the spirit of the MoonWalk is so keenly felt. You never forget it.

So, I will be back next May, with my sign, smiling, cheering, and shedding tears of pride with you. The money you raise, enables people like me with secondary breast cancer to live full, happy and hopeful lives, not defined by a disease, a label and can prove that anything is possible.

Once a MoonWalker, always a MoonWalker, uniting together against breast cancer.

Thank you for all your support and sharing Heidi... we look forward to seeing you next year!

If you feel inspired to unite with us against breast cancer... check out our challenges here and if you would like to share your story with us, please email us and we will be in touch.