I can remember the 3rd March 2017 like it was yesterday, I’d been eagerly awaiting the delivery of my preordered Ed Sheeran Divide album... what I thought it would be a quick trip to hospital to rule out a worried doctors hypothesis! Yeah I got that one wrong! I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma (a form of skin cancer), me cancer? I was only 22, So, why me? I’ve never used a sunbed? I don’t live in a sunny country? I’m not even tanned? And more importantly only people on soaps get cancer right?!  Wrong!! 2/3 people are affected by cancer I never thought I’d be one of the 2! Little did I know Melanoma is of 5th most diagnosed cancers in women under 25 year old.

I’d just started my masters, life was going great. Then I entered the most exclusive club I didn’t want to be a member of. For the first 7 months following diagnosis, is rejected the label cancer patient; how could I be a cancer patient I never had chemo & how would I explain it to others; as a result I quite my diagnosis between me and a few close friends/ family, which left my mental health and self esteem completely destroyed. 

In November 2017, I had the privilege of attending TCT Find Your Sense of Tumour. A weekend residential for young people to meet , socialise and learn. This was my turning point of what I thought of myself and my CANCER, yes I said the word. I officially announce myself as a cancer patient; allowing me to regain some of my self esteem and create my ‘new normal’. Between November and July 2018 I had the further honour to meet people my age who know what it is like to have cancer through social events; which had included meeting and getting backstage access to the Jeremy Kyle show & UB40 at Royal Albert Hall.

my Youth Support Co-ordinator who’s job role is to support during diagnosis/treatment and beyond, whilst making it possible for people like me to meet with other people with cancer who just get it and it’s not just about cancer. My YSC was my saving grace,  however TCT still isn’t able to reach everyone with a cancer diagnosis. They might never meet another person with cancer their own age, and can feel frightened and alone. It breaks my heart that not everyone yet is able to get the support that TCT have given me, I can’t imagine where I’d be without them. And this is why I wanted to fundraise, to give back a little what they have gave to me in the darkest point of my life and so they can help other people in the same position.