Why am I trekking Mount Kilimanjaro? It’s a question I’ve asked myself—and been surprised by how easy it was to answer.

Here’s my story:

On 2nd July 2021, I found myself listening to the words nobody ever wants to hear. The biopsies taken during my Caesarean Section were secondary Cancer. At that moment my blood ran cold, and I felt like the bottom had fallen out of my world. Staring at our beautiful 7-day old baby I wondered if I’d still be here at Christmas.

The months that followed were filled with tests and chemotherapy while different specialists and oncologists tried, without luck, to find my Primary Cancer. I lost my hair, my identity, and precious time with my baby. What should have been the happiest time of my life was tainted by a black cloud of uncertainty.

In March 2022 I got my first glimmer of hope, I was called in to The Christie to see Mr Sutton, my Colorectal and Peritoneal Surgeon. Chemotherapy had stabilised my cancer and they could operate. The next month I was admitted for what is known as the mother of all surgeries. Cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC - a heated chemotherapy circulated round the stomach cavity. An operation only two hospitals in the whole of the UK perform. This resulted in me having a stoma—a small price to pay for still being here.

It was the start of a very long road to recovery, but I was determined to get back to normal. The day before I was discharged from hospital, I missed my daughter crawling for the first time, but I hoped I’d be around for all the other special milestones in her life. At this stage my prognosis was still uncertain until my pathology results came back.

A few weeks later I got the best phone call I could have ever hoped for, all the disease had been removed and I eventually had a diagnosis. I had an extremely rare cancer called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), which began as a slow-growing tumour in my appendix. The tumour then broke through the wall of the appendix and spread mucous-like tumour cells into the lining of my stomach and round my organs.

Our daughter is too young to understand yet, but she is the reason I’m still here, she saved my life. Here I am, almost 4 years on, disease-free, stronger, fitter and more open to new challenges.

So, when I saw the opportunity to sign up to trek Kilimanjaro for such a fantastic cause, I registered straight away. Getting stoma supplies in the UK is easy, something I take for granted, and I believe that everyone, wherever they are in the world, should be able to get the supplies and support they need.

I’m taking on this challenge with 19 incredible women—nine of us live with a stoma, some have faced traumatic births, and some have faced both. We’re walking proof that life after trauma is not only possible—it can be powerful.

Hopefully I can inspire people who have been touched by cancer or been through a traumatic experience and give them the confidence to follow their dreams.

Please support me in any way you can. Every donation, big or small, goes directly to Chameleon Buddies, helping people around the world access the stoma supplies and support they need. We’re funding the trek ourselves, so every penny you give goes straight to the cause.

Thank you for visiting my page.