Team Greenhalgh takes on The MoonWalk London!

L-R Rob, Kate, Nick

Kate

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the start of the first lockdown in 2020, six years after my Dad. Taking part in The MoonWalk London this year with my brothers, after all our family has been through, was an amazing thing.

When Dad was told he had breast cancer, as far as we are aware, it was the first case in our family. Following his diagnosis, Dad tested positive for the altered BRCA2 gene which puts carriers at a greater risk of developing breast cancer. My brothers both tested negative, but myself and a number of my cousins tested positive. I was only 29 years old at the time and I remember being totally stunned and very upset.

After the initial disbelief of being told I had the altered BRCA2 gene, I just didn’t want to think about it. I got married later that year and my husband and I soon had two children. However, not long before a scheduled scan in March 2020, I discovered a lump in my breast. I was in total shock when I was told I had breast cancer at the age of just 34.

Luckily, my cancer was found early. I had a double mastectomy and reconstruction just as the first Covid lockdown started - the mastectomy on the other side was preventative. I had all my treatment, including chemotherapy, during the pandemic, which was very hard, especially not being able to see my parents and my brothers at a time when I needed them most.

My brothers Rob, Nick and I signed up for The MoonWalk London 2022, partly because we wanted to spend some quality time together! All three of us have very busy lives and we don’t live near each other either. Because of Covid, we hadn’t spent all that much time in each other’s company for a couple of years. We also wanted to unite together and raise money for a charity which we’re all very passionate about – Dad has been part of Walk the Walk’s Men Get Breast Cancer Too campaign since it started.

I also saw The MoonWalk as a way to motivate me back to full health and a normal life after my breast cancer treatment and Covid. It was a very emotional night and I did get quite tearful before the walk started - it was such an amazing atmosphere. Even during the toughest times during our walk, my brothers and I were there for each other. It was a great sense of achievement for us as all to cross the finish line together, but also a lot of fun”!  

Rob

“It was Kate’s idea to sign up for The MoonWalk and I took zero persuading!

I’d never completed a marathon before and to be honest I hadn’t really appreciated what The MoonWalk would be like on the night. When we arrived at Clapham Common, my main memory is of it being an occasion of pure joy, which was just wonderful.

The thing which took me most by surprise on the night was that I experienced a very different side of London to the one I’m used to. I work nightshifts as an air ambulance doctor in the capital and to be honest, I see some pretty interesting things out on the streets! What I saw during the night of The MoonWalk was a completely different side of London – people were on their doorsteps, they were shouting support out of their windows and hitting their pots and pans. I felt like the city was behind us and that everyone was relating to the cause – it was incredible to see so much positivity and to be part of something so special. The random kindness of people was profoundly moving.

There wasn’t any point during our walk when Kate, Nick or I thought about giving up, but it was so much easier having each other by our sides. It was a real privilege to take part in The MoonWalk and do something collectively, with so many other like-minded people!”

Nick

“Mum and Dad had both taken part in The MoonWalk previously and I’d come down to London to support them. However, I always felt guilty that I hadn’t done my part. It had always been in the back of my mind that I would sign up at some point, but then Kate was diagnosed with breast cancer, six years after Dad.

It was a very difficult time for the whole family and it felt like the right time to sign up for The Moonwalk, with my siblings. Unlike Dad and Kate, I tested negative for the altered BRCA gene and to be honest I felt a little useless. I tried to support Dad and Kate as much as I could, but there was only so much I could do, especially as Kate was diagnosed right at the start of lockdown. Signing up for The MoonWalk felt like a way I could show my support, raise awareness and also money for vital breast cancer causes.

What really struck me during The MoonWalk was how it is an event for all ages – and for both men and women. It’s much more accessible than people might think! Don’t let walking a marathon or half marathon overnight put you off - it’s an amazing life experience and I’d love to do it again”.

Thank you Kate, Rob and Nick for sharing your story. Register your interest for The MoonWalk London 2023!