Story
I'd kick myself if I didn't give this one final push to get a few more donations in, so for those of you who weren't there on Nov 30th, here's my speech:
10yrs ago, I took our children to a photoshoot that we had won at a fundraising event. We had so much fun with Rick who clicked away with his camera while the children posed in a variety of outfits. It was a wonderful, carefree family day out, full of laughter & giggles.
One of my favourite photos is of the children monkeying around with their instruments(we’re quite a musical family) wearing their Wham ‘Chose Life’ T-shirts. This photo really moves me every time I look at it.
You see, I had absolutely no idea that I had cancer!
Between the photoshoot & going back to view the photos, I was diagnosed with breast cancer & told that it was very aggressive.
When you receive a cancer diagnosis, sometimes it can be helpful to have a focus, have a goal. Mine was easy; we had 3 young children so my goal was simple…to live long enough to see our youngest child turn 10.
Last week, he turned 20!
How lucky am I!!....I have lived long enough to support all 3 of our children through their teenage years & watch each of them grow into the wonderful adults they are today….beautiful on the outside, beautiful on the inside.
When I look back over the past 10 years, I sometimes wonder how on earth I got through it.
-Being diagnosed & having all my treatment overseas in a country that I couldn’t speak the language.
-Being bumped to the top of the list of the top breast surgeon in Hong Kong made it crystal clear how serious it was.
-Having a 2nd breast cancer scare, further invasive biopsies and other treatments a few years later shook my world again.
But….with the support of my family, I’ve been able to remain pragmatic & stay strong.
Family means EVERYTHING to me so to have them all here today is super special.
Today I am marking my 10 year anniversary by shaving my head to raise money for ‘In the Pink’ & Michelle is here to tell us about the work they do.
But before she does, I like to say thank you all so much for coming here today to support Michelle & I. If you haven’t got around to donating yet, please do, do it now! You will make such a difference to someone’s life.
And finally, I’d like to leave you with 4 things….
💗1. Keep checking your breasts regularly
💗2. Are your Mammograms up to date?
💗3. Are you eligible for a 3D Mammogram?
💗4. You need a mammogram AND an ultrasound to get the full picture
Rese xx
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I recently celebrated 10 years cancer free and to mark this very special milestone I have decided to shave my head for charity on Sunday November 30th at Langham Village Hall.
I have given this a lot of thought and I am very nervous. But what a luxurious position I am in; I can choose…many women can’t!
10 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer & was told that it was very aggressive. Less than 3 weeks later, on October 13th 2015, I had a total mastectomy including nipple & areola removal followed by reconstruction. Since then I have undergone further treatments including a donut mastopexy.
ALL the money raised will be donated to ‘In The Pink’, a physical rehabilitation programme that is uniquely tailored to meet breast cancer survivors needs and to help them on the road to wellness. In The Pink is part of Cancer Active Recovery Support.
recoverysupport.org.uk
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