Dundee mum-of-two Kerry Busfield has reason to celebrate this month as she marks her all-clear from beating breast cancer.
Not only that, she’s used her story to inspire other women.
Telling her story played a part in raising a fantastic total of £9,000 for charity along with other ladies in Dundee fitness guru Shelley Booth’s online fitness community.
Kerry, who is head of an HR department, tells us her health journey has made her a passionate advocate of raising awareness of women’s health issues.
The 45-year-old says ironically she was in the best physical shape of her life when she was diagnosed just a year ago.
She says: “I don’t have any family history of breast cancer and had been taking part in Feel, Look, Be, run by Shelley Booth, for almost two years.”
Two pea sized lumps
She goes on: “I felt two pea sized lumps in my right breast when I was in the shower one day and it was very obvious to me that they shouldn’t be there.
“I went to my GP and got an urgent referral to Ninewells.”
After being faced with a lengthy three-month wait until her next NHS appointment, Kerry decided to go private.
She attended a BUPA hospital in Edinburgh.
Breast cancer diagnosis ‘cut deep’
And after mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies, just two weeks later it was confirmed she had breast cancer.
“I do not think I’ll ever forget that appointment as long as I live,” Kerry admits.
“As a single mum of two, the diagnosis cut deep.
“We’re a strong team of three and I’ve got a lot to live for. And a lot more fun to have.”
After a worrying wait over Christmas and New Year, Kerry had a full body MRI to check if the cancer had spread.
“Thankfully it hadn’t spread anywhere else. But they couldn’t do a lumpectomy for me so I elected instead to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction afterwards.
“I thought I don’t want this to ever happen again.”
‘Luckiest woman that’s ever been’
After her surgery in March, Kerry then underwent a series of sessions of radiotherapy at Edinburgh Cancer Centre six weeks later, before getting the all-clear.
“I wake up every day and feel I’m the luckiest woman that’s ever been because I found it early.
“What’s really remarkable is that since I’ve talked about it, many ladies I know have gone and got checked.
“And now I say to everyone – check, check, check!”
A month-long fundraiser
And after hearing the stories of Kerry and others in the online group who’ve also been through breast cancer, the Feel, Look, Be community decided to raise money for Breast Cancer Now.
During the month of October, they walked or ran 5k a day, also fundraising with friends and colleagues to raise money.
And Shelley Booth, who runs the community, has also made a donation to the fundraising total to take it to a whopping £9,000.
She says: “It was brilliant, a great effort.
“And it shows the power of community and the impact it can have. To raise £9,000 from the Feel, Look, Be community just shows you what can be done.
“It’s the feel good factor as well – everyone pulled together with a shared cause for the greater good.
“Female health is so topical but as a woman it’s also so easy to miss when you’re busy doing what you do.
“You forget to prioritise your own health, to check in and listen to your body. Kerry’s story inspired so many of us to do that, myself included.”
Conversation