This month is breast cancer awareness month and we want to say a huge diolch to Emma for sharing her story and hope it prompts you to do your checks and inspires you to keep exercising for mind, body and soul.
‘Alright so breast cancer is a bitch! At 48 I was diagnosed with double breast cancer. I felt fit and healthy. Was a relative newbie to running and enjoying the different disciplines, road, cross country, club runs and races, building my strength and stamina.
Walking down the hospital corridor following my diagnosis I knew I wasn’t going to ‘fight’ the cancer, I didn’t know how to, so I decided to budge up and shared my world with the big ‘C’.
Chemotherapy began almost immediately but the following Saturday at the local parkrun I pulled off a pb. It was important for me to keep running, keep my stamina, keep the positivity that running provides.
As treatment progressed the parkruns and races had to be shelved but on my good days I would still put on my trainers and plod round the block because I could and it confirmed I was still alive!
The treatment ended and I rang my bell. I had gone from invincible to vulnerable in a matter of months. I quickly realised that I needed something to help me through this next stage of my journey.
I needed a focus and Feel Find Mind was born promoting breast cancer awareness and naturally running needed to play a part….enter parkrun Scabble! Touring parkruns spreading the message ‘ Feel, Find get it checked and off your Mind’ with early diagnosis being key.
The support I received from the running community, which was much needed, was truly amazing. The number of runners participating in a Feel Find Mind t-shirt increased each time from the previous, as did my strength both physically and mentally.
Although parkrun Scrabble has been paused my running has continued as has my recovery. Running clears my mind, increases my confidence and reminds me that life is good and despite the over hang from the treatment I know ‘I’ve got this’.
My message, know your body, know when something isn’t right, bring it to the surface and get it checked out. Early diagnosis truly is the game changer and if you are currently a bit of a couch potato, get up, move and build your stamina you don’t know when you might need it’!