Every year, during my birthday month, I raise money for a cancer charity that has made a difference to me. This year, I'm fundraising for Something To Look Forward To, a wonderful charity that has supported me since my Stage 4 Breast Cancer diagnosis.

They gifted Greg and I a much-needed break in the Forest of Dean at a time when life felt overwhelming, and more recently gifted me a year's membership to PureGym. To make the most of this generous gift, I'm challenging myself to complete three strength-training sessions every week throughout June. While fatigue and joint pain can make exercise difficult, I know that building strength can help support my health and help me manage the side effects of treatment.

I'm pleased to share that I'm still stable on my first-line treatment and have recently completed my 18th cycle. Things feel very different now compared to the early days after my diagnosis. My oncologist is happy with how I'm doing, and I've moved from monthly blood tests to every three months, and from scans every three months to every six months. This has made a huge difference to everyday life, allowing me to spend less time feeling like a cancer patient and more time simply getting on with living.

But the reality is that cancer never completely leaves my mind. The fear and overwhelm still creep in from time to time. Every so often, the support groups I'm a part of, lose one of the incredible women who has been walking this path alongside us. Those moments are heartbreaking, but they also serve as powerful reminders of how grateful I am to still be here, and how lucky I am to be surrounded by so much love, support and kindness.

This challenge won't be easy. Because of the side effects I experience, regular exercise has often felt out of reach, especially with the additional 12kg I've gained! But I also know how important strength training is for building muscle, supporting my long-term health and improving my quality of life. My goal is to create a regular strength-training routine that supports my health, helps me manage treatment side effects and becomes part of everyday life.

If you'd like to support my challenge and help this amazing charity continue creating special moments and opportunities for people living with cancer, I'd be incredibly grateful for your donation.

Thank you for helping me turn my birthday month into an opportunity to give back. 💜