#NotSecondRate

On the 24^th October I attended the Breast Cancer Care (BCC) Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons where the focus of discussion was increasing the support for people living with secondary breast cancer (SBC).

I was cordially invited to attend due to my involvement in BCC’s secondary breast cancer panel. My role in all of this will be to give feedback on my experiences so services can be developed . I like the idea of that and can’t wait to get started with it all!

I was reassured to hear at the event that there are politicians and professionals in the medical field behind BCC in their mission for change through their Secondary, Not Second Rate campaign.

UK cancer strategies fall short when it comes to supporting those living with secondary cancers, where most of the focus is on those recovering from primary cancers.

We are living much longer with SBC, however treatments and side effects make life complicated and so HUUUURRRAH for  Breast Cancer Care  and their work to help women like me to navigate the SBC world guided and informed.

The agenda of course fits in nicely with my own mission to improve the local support in Northamptonshire through The Living With Living Well project, so I was in my absolute element at the event.

It was my first time in the House of Commons. The building was not as intimidating as I thought it would be once I got though security. There was a magnificent Hogwarts feel about the setting and I wandered  through like a complete tourist along the corridors and halls, fascinated by its history.  

I arrived at the reception with Vicky , who I met in the queue and I felt a little awkward at the start with the whole ‘mingling’ thing , so I was pleased to see Ruth Fox my secondary breast cancer nurse  specialist there. Ruth was there to give a presentation about the work at Northampton General Hospital.

I hadn’t realised how lucky I am to have the support of a SBC nurse specialist. It seems only one third of hospital trusts provide this. Ruth has been so important for me in bridging the communications with my oncology team, being the friendly face of the medical world and providing me with continuity of care.

The #NotSecondRate campaign is seeking to ensure  every person with SBC has access to a nurse specialist like Ruth.  I don't think I fully appreciated until that day the full extent of the issue and it has stoked up that fire in my belly and I'm getting right behind this campaign.

It also happened to be the 5th anniversary of my primary diagnosis. This date always inspires some 
reflection on a life very much changed especially since my own secondary breast cancer diagnosis last April.

Each year serves as a bench mark. This time last year I was well into the throes of a 6 month docetaxel chemo regime, feeling like a zombie, and clinging on to dear hope, through the only comfort I could find and the only certainty in my life at that time, in the pending birth of my first grandchild.

Well, this year, I'm not doing ‘too bad’ actually and I’m looking forward celebrating Jonah’s first birthday on 30^th October with piñatas, pass the parcel and yummy cake.

It sounds a little dramatic, when I recall ‘out loud’ how I felt back then, and whilst my mind set has adjusted, the feeling of dread that I experienced was like no other. Those ‘cancer storms’ do creep back in ‘now and gain’ but today I can pat myself on the back and thank all my cheerleaders for getting me through the year!

My Friend Bernie came along to London with me and we both marked the anniversaries of our breast cancer diagnosis' with some champers at the Shard overlooking the sites of London. We chatted about the new and ever evolving versions of ourselves and decided we have a lot to be thankful for.