Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In 2021 whilst grieving the loss of my Mum to the cruel disease that is cancer, I was given my own cancer diagnosis. At the age of 37 this felt unexpected, unjustified, and terrifying. I was given a treatment plan of mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The treatment was lonely (thanks Covid and restrictions), harsh and impacted every area of my life.

I was told by so many people that the hardest part of this journey would be at the end of treatment. And they were right. I had left a career that I enjoyed, I was left with a body I wasn’t happy with, a mental state that was fragile and crippling fear as to what was round the corner for me.

When receiving some test results from my breast care nurse in early 2023, she asked if I had heard of Team Pheonix. She explained it was a charity run my volunteers, together with sports and medical professionals. Their mission each year is to support a small group of women who have had a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment to regain physical and mental wellbeing.  A further call with the charity I discovered that they gather a group of up to 10 women each year and these women follow a tailor made 6 month programme to enable them to complete a triathlon. I quickly explained my fear of water and inability to swim and was told this was not a problem and the coaches would help me.

Now, four months into training (thanks to the amazing coaches and support of my fellow Firebirds) I am proud to say that I am comfortable in the water, can swim confidently, can ride a bike on the road and able to run a fair distance and enjoy it too!

Team Pheonix has given me the company of women who understand a breast cancer diagnosis, coaches who have helped to rebuild my
physical health and finally given me some respect and belief in my body and its abilities.

These past three years I have needed to be stronger than I ever thought I could be. I am strong enough to get across that finish line of the triathlon.