Following a routine mammogram, Sue, a Neonatal Nursery Nurse from North Cheam, was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 58 years old. She went on to have successful surgery and treatment at The Royal Marsden, and was given the 'all clear' five years after her treatment. She has now been able to continue her passion for cycling.
Leaving a gift in my Will to the Charity
“I decided to leave a gift in my Will to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity after being treated at The Royal Marsden. They have taken such good care of me since I was diagnosed."
"It’s been an emotional rollercoaster. There have been lots of tears along the way but everybody has been so lovely. To be able to go to The Royal Marsden, which is right on my doorstep, and have had my treatment so quickly following my diagnosis was brilliant."
Diagnosis and coming to The Royal Marsden
"I was really lucky that my breast cancer was found on a routine mammogram. I’m the fourth member of the family to get breast cancer but they told me that it wasn’t genetic, it was just bad luck. When they gave me the news, I burst into tears."
"I was well aware of The Royal Marsden before I was treated there. When I was given the choice about which hospital to go to, it was an absolute no brainer."
“The initial scan I had at another hospital showed that the tumour was measuring an estimated 17mm long. When they took it out, it was actually 30mm. The fact my cancer was bigger than they thought but hadn’t spread to my lymph nodes, I qualified to have onco type testing where my samples were sent to America. This is what determined what treatment I needed which ruled out any chemotherapy."
“Luckily, I only needed a lumpectomy and radiotherapy. I got away with not needing to have any chemotherapy, by the skin of my teeth!"
Keeping active during treatment
"I remained active throughout my treatment and within just two and a half weeks of surgery, I was back doing five-mile walks."
"For about nine months I really struggled with my emotions. Once I settled, I was fine apart from the aches and pains I’ve had since treatment. I’m currently on an aromatase inhibitor medication to zap my body of oestrogen as this is what fed my cancer."
"I’ll probably be on this medication for another few years yet and the side effects are quite unpleasant! The aches in your joints are the worst but the pain doesn’t stop me from doing the things I love. I still do 50–60-mile bike rides and 12 mile walks every week."
“Because my joints were aching so much, my team referred me to have acupuncture at the hospital."
Ride London
“I took part in Ride London just eight months after my radiotherapy treatment and raised over £1,000 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. I absolutely loved taking part in this cycling challenge and would really recommend it to other supporters."
"It's now five years since my diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer and the good news is I'm clear! I feel so lucky to be so close to The Marsden. I've also kept in touch with a few other breast cancer survivors over the years - we've gone away on holiday together. Just goes to show that new friendships can be made, even through trauma."
Why research is so important
"Without research, we don’t move forwards. I know that people who have been involved in research and donated to support this in the past have probably helped shape the treatment that I ended up having. Because of research over the years, the teams were able to rule out chemotherapy as a treatment option for me, which was such a relief as I really didn’t want to go through it."
“I recently heard about research into reducing the amount of radiotherapy sessions needed for breast cancer patients and whether having five radiotherapy sessions could be just as beneficial as having 15. People who are travelling a long way for treatment would benefit hugely from this. My mum had to travel 90 miles a day for 15 days to have her treatment."
“Research is so important which is why I’m so keen to support The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to live a normal life after being treated at The Royal Marsden.”
Discover our Free Will Service
Leaving a gift in your Will makes a vital difference to the lives of cancer patients long into the future and will help us to ensure our research teams can develop life-saving treatments.
Writing or updating your Will couldn’t be easier – find out more with our Free Will Service.