Sara's Story

 'My name is Sara. Last October two weeks after starting a new job I discovered a small lump on my right breast. Determined not to panic I waited 2 weeks before seeing my GP who referred me to the local hospital, 4 weeks later having heard nothing, my GP referred me to Hereford. A week later in December I met with the consultant and after a barrage of tests was told there and then that I probably had cancer. The probable treatment would be a lumpectomy followed by chemo and maybe radiotherapy, just the kind of news you need to put you in a jolly Christmas mood.

I’m a single mum of two, I moved from London to South Wales almost 2 years ago to give my kids a better chance in life, more freedom and now I was facing a challenge I hadn’t anticipated and one that I wasn’t prepared for. Between December and January I had 12 biopsies, 3 scans and then the news got worse. I met with my consultant on 10th January and was advised to have a double mastectomy, the date 10 days later.

That afternoon I rang The Haven in Hereford and three days later met with Jan. There was nothing they could do to make the news any better but in those few days before the operation, I was given counselling and homeopathic treatment to improve my chances and met with most of the team at an Introduction Day. I went into the op feeling as prepared as I could and clinically it was a success. The news was all the cancer had gone and I didn’t need to have any further treatment apart from Tamoxifen. I felt elated for the first few weeks, I had more counselling and acupuncture, which was brilliant, to help with the exhaustion that not sleeping brings. Within a month I was back at work as someone had to bring in the money. Then it all came crashing down. The enormity of what I had gone through began to hit me, the drugs were making me feel exhausted but not able to sleep, I was very tearful and very frustrated that I couldn’t be the Mum I wanted to be as physically I was still unable to do so much.

So I went back to The Haven to see Carol the counsellor. I have taken more time off work, I can’t really afford to do this but taking a long term view, I don’t think I can afford not to. I am only a little way through this journey with cancer but I am confident now that with their support I am going to make it, be able to make the changes that I need to and hope that 6 months down the line I will be stronger and happier. I am not entirely sure where the journey will take me but I trust that The Haven have my best interests at heart. I am a real person to them not just a body which had an illness.

The Haven is a real lifeline, they have time and they have enormous expertise, allowing myself to be cared for by them is the best form of help I could ask for'.

Sara