I’m Lucie, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, at the age of 35.
My treat was to have two lumpectomies, then a mastectomy, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy, not easy while being a mum of four young kids.
I was then put onto Tamoxifen tablets, with five years of the anxiety of the cancer returning. In 2016 I found out my breast cancer had in fact come back, it was now in my lung (I call this cancer Norman).
Secondary breast cancer has no cure, when first diagnosed with this I thought my life was over, so much was scary and unknown. However, four and a half years on, I’m living an amazing life. I will always be on medication to keep cancer at bay. I now have cancer in my lung, nodes, bones, and liver and I’m blessed and privileged to live an amazing life.
I always feel like one of the luckiest people alive. In 2009 I found a small pea size lump in my breast. This was removed and then chemo followed, I never had any light bulb changing moments, I just wanted to carry on looking after my family, and get involved in cancer hair care.
In 2016 a scan found cancer in my lung. My hardest cancer day ever, I really thought I was going home to die. Very little is said about secondary cancer so there’s very little understanding. I have been on treatment for four and a half years, and will always be on treatment. My cancer and I have to live together, they are my body squatters. I won’t let these body squatters stop me from living.
Living with Cancer has changed my life, in many ways, I just live for today, I cherish each day. I have achieved so much in the last four years. If I can live with cancer, then I can do almost anything.
I started with a blog, to help others understand what secondary breast cancer is. Then we climbed a mountain after that came a moonwalk with the BBC One show following our story, we had a wedding blessing and we bought a camper van to explore.
I have been privileged to meet so many great people through my cancer. I volunteer at the Hummingbird Cancer Centre, using many of my cancer hair skills. I live with more passion and love than ever before, Cancer gives me bad days, so I have to encourage and find the good days and adventures. I’m here today loving and living life and that makes me one of the luckiest women in the world.
I’m proof that you can live well with cancer.
