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'I found it hard to return to a 'normal life'

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date18 April 2024
Publication titleEvening Chronicle
Catherine Walker, 28, found out she had cancer in October 2022

She went through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery - and while she is well now, said the recovery period and side-effects of her care had taken a toll.

Catherine is now being helped by charity Future Dreams, which runs in-person and virtual breast cancer support services around the UK.

Catherine said: "When receiving treatment, there is so much support out there and you are constantly monitored by your oncologists, surgeons and breast care nurses.

"For me, as the treatment went on, this became a comfort blanket and helped reassure me that the treatment was shrinking the tumour.

"However, I don't think many people realise, until they've gone through it themselves, how difficult life after cancer can be. For me, the months after finishing treatment were the hardest months of my whole cancer journey as this was when I actually processed what had happened to me and the lasting impact of my diagnosis."

Catherine said that since finishing active treatment, she had struggled with getting back to her day-to-day life.

She is looking forward to attending a wellness day led by Future Dreams. She said: "Since finishing my active treatment, I have found it difficult to return to 'normal' life and have struggled with the long-term side effects of my cancer treatment, including fatigue, breast pain, menopausal symptoms linked to Tamoxifen, my body image, and restarting my physical activity. I'm hoping that the Wellness Day will provide me with strategies to help cope with and ease these side effects."

Gateshead is set this week to host

Future Dreams first outreach event in the region - at the Baltic.

Caroline Tweedie, a Macmillan lead practitioner supporting those living with cancer, is based at the

South Tyneside and Sunderland- NHS Trust. She invited Future Dreams to our region.

Caroline said: "This type of event is building a local community of people with lived experience of cancer, creating an opportunity to...

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