Becky’s story:
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue last year at the age of 33. Just a few months later I was told that my cancer had spread and is incurable.
It was a huge shock and living with secondary breast cancer can be very challenging. However, between the difficult times, I’ve created so many incredible memories since my secondary diagnosis, including completing the Full Moon (26.2 miles) at The MoonWalk London in May.
In June 2024, I discovered a lump the size of a golf ball in my right breast. I acted quickly and made an appointment with my GP, who referred me for more tests. My breast cancer diagnosis was confirmed two weeks later – it was all very surreal – cancer wasn’t a big part of our family’s story and the only family link to breast cancer had been several generations previously.
I had a single mastectomy and then had a period of time juggling cancer scans and appointments at one hospital with IVF appointments at another. My husband Mark and I had been trying to start a family at the time of my cancer diagnosis.
One day last October, while Mark and I were away for a few days, I received a call, asking me to make an urgent oncology appointment.
I was anxious and rang my breast cancer nurse, who told me that the scans showed the cancer had spread to my bones.
I knew this was bad news, but not exactly what it meant. I found out more a few days later – basically that my cancer was now stage four and couldn’t be cured. As time wore on, I learnt a lot more and understood that the pills and meds they put me on would be a really good way of keeping my cancer at bay. I’ll stay on the same regime as long as it’s still working, which it is for now. If it stops working, there will hopefully be other new types of treatment.
I know that living with secondary (incurable) cancer can be more achievable now than it was in the past. However, it’s still mentally incredibly challenging.
Sometimes I think of myself as a medical marvel and that I’m going to beat the odds. I’m thankful that I don’t have any other underlying health issues and I am doing so much to keep healthy – I’ve given up alcohol (apart from a very rare glass) and sugar and I’m exercising as much as I can. But then you realise that life it isn’t as simple as that.
Yes, there is all this new research into secondary breast cancer, but often you’re only able to access the trials if you fit very strict criteria. Although the research does give you some confidence, the reality often hits that new treatment advances being discovered today won’t actually reach me for quite a while. Also, a lot of the new treatments target tumours which have grown in other parts of the body. However, my secondary cancer is in my bones.
As things stand, my health is ok at the moment and I’m being scanned every three months. The cancer is still active in one of my ribs, but not so active in other places. It would be really easy to stay in bed, watch TV, ignore the problem and feel sorry for myself. Instead, I’m working very hard to stay positive, to get out there, meet friends and stay active.
With my team (I’m lying on the floor at the front!) at The MoonWalk London, May 2025
I often reflect on how much I’ve achieved in the year since I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. Whilst my journey started with the realisation that I would need a mastectomy, then that the cancer was in my bones and that I wouldn’t be able to have kids, I’ve made so many wonderful memories since.
Completing the Full Moon (26.2 miles) for Walk the Walk at The MoonWalk London in May 2025 was so good and I felt physically triumphant afterwards!
The achievement also gave me so much mental energy and I really needed that. When you’re given a secondary cancer diagnosis, the news comes with very life limiting language. So, when you achieve something like completing a marathon – raising £12,000 for Walk the Walk in the process – it feels like a big FU Cancer, not today!
There have been so many other unexpected and very positive things. I’ve appeared in the newspaper, did a bungee swing in Scotland and went to Glastonbury. Yes, there have been bad bits and I’m not blind to that – but when doctors use life limiting language, it does feel good when you throw it back in their face a bit. I loved telling them afterwards that I’d walked a marathon. I don’t ask their permission to do things like this, I just get on with it! Embracing life over the last year has been really important and has helped me get to where I am now. When you have secondary breast cancer, you need to have goals and I’ll definitely be taking on more charity fundraising events in the future.
On a Bungee Swing in the Scottish Highlands, April 2025
I’ll also keep raising awareness – raising the issues affecting those of us whose breast cancer can’t be cured. I know that I can’t fight every battle in the world, but I will be flying the flag for my own and making sure that the voice of those with secondary breast cancer is heard”.
Thank you for sharing your story Becky and for raising so much incredible awareness.