‘I faced it more or less alone’: Northampton woman kicks off charity’s ‘living with cancer during a pandemic’ campaign

A Northamptonshire charity has launched a new campaign whereby women who have dealt with breast cancer during the pandemic share their stories.

Breast Friends Northamptonshire, which was founded in 2017 to give women suffering from the disease a community, ran a similar campaign last year when brave women shared their journeys.

Now, even more courageous ladies will be writing their stories of how they dealt with or are dealing with cancer and the pandemic all at once, which will then be shared to the charity’s website.

The first Covid-19 story belongs to Ruth Hemmingway, who lives in Northampton and was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2019, just before the pandemic hit.

Ruth, who is 42, writes: “Cancer is an experience you can overcome if it is shared. The burden is too big to bear alone. Yet, for the last nine months, that is exactly what has happened.

“The biggest challenge anyone can face, and I’ve faced it more or less alone.

“My friends and family have all been amazing and done what they can, but given the rules we have to follow with Covid, there is only so much anyone can do.”

As well as the mental health affect fighting cancer during a pandemic has, Ruth explains how her treatment has also been affected.

She continues: “One implant had been removed with infection, so I was living with a completely flat chest on one side covered by a load of rolled-up skin, and an unexpanded tissue expander implant on the other. And this went on for nine months. It broke me.

“I couldn’t look down, wearing nine bras a day just to cover up this truly horrendous sight of the body I have looked after well for so many years.

“In November 2020, I had the surgery I needed, and I can’t help but say that I have the world’s most cracking boobs (something that I thought I would never say). They are truly magnificent.

“The other big effect on treatment was the impact on post-chemo injections.

“Normally a district nurse would have visited me at home, but that service was cut. My husband had to do the injections instead; a trauma for us both.

“Seeing my husband come at me with a needle in his hand was truly terrifying.”

Ruth also talks about how the charity, and the associated community, really helped her through an extremely difficult time.

“My Breast Friends family has really been amazing and there is no way I would have made it through treatment without them,” Ruth writes.

“Online stories, mindfulness sessions, coffee afternoons. Just knowing that someone who understood was there for me at the end of my iPad really helped.

“The world felt a little less lonely.”

Ruth ends her ‘Breast Cancer Story’ with the simple message to tell everyone to check for lumps.

“I would urge anyone reading this to check for lumps. Without me checking for lumps, I would be dead right now; it is that simple.”

To read Ruth’s full story and find out more about Breast Friends Northamptonshire, visit the charity’s website.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper while out for your essential shopping.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you