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A second trip down Breast Cancer Boulevard; 9 months of gruelling treatment followed by 10 years of medication equates to a rethink on life and transition into a triathelete! 

 ‘Your biopsy results show breast cancer recurrence’, I heard the Consultant say in March 2018.  Nobody wants to hear the ‘C’ word for the first time let alone the second and 11 years on when you feel you’ve beaten breast cancer.  So the battle commenced once again. This time I wasn’t going to be brave; I was going to accept all the support being offered. 

Some parts of the journey have been familiar but the introduction of chemotherapy was tough physically, mentally and emotionally.  Each of the six cycles broke me down as a person but rebuilt me stronger in preparation for the next.  It’s how you get through the treatment; day by day.  At the end I felt like my soul had been stripped out but I’m rebuilding a new me. 

I am to become a Firebird and rise from the ashes along with 8 other breast cancer survivors with the help of the Team Phoenix Foundation.  In the coming months we will bond through running, swimming and cycling (not to mention a few social events!) with the end result being to compete in a sprint triathlon at Hever on Saturday 28 September 2019.  The swimming part is in Hever Lake and if I'm honest, I'm terrified!!!  This structured training plan heals our mind, body and soul and bonds us together in friendship and support.  Just as breast cancer is a very individual disease so are each of the women participating.  

I am thankful to past Firebirds for funding my place for 2019 and it is now my privilege and honour to raise money to fund a Firebird for next year and hopefully expand this charity so that more women can benefit. Please offer your support not just to me for undertaking this challenge (which I never imagined I would be doing!) but to the Team Phoenix Foundation by sponsoring me for this event. 

To me the Hever 2019 triathlon represents:

Health

Endeavour

Virtue

Emotion

Recovery

Why not come along and support us on 28 September 2019 and watch us leave the start as a team and cross the finish line united!  

Love and best wishes

Melissa xx

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