Lucy's Story
Lucy was a Balanced client and due to run the marathon with us in 2020. She was a light that filled the room and we will run with her in our hearts. Here is what she wrote back in 2020.
Lucy Scillitoe
running with Sinead McIntyre
I remember life before Cancer. I can’t remember life without it.
We all have a story to tell and as I write mine, I want to start by saying I consider myself one of the lucky ones. After all, I am here!
After many months of a nagging feeling that there was something different in one of my boobs, I finally made an appointment to have it checked. After an initial misdiagnosis, I turned from relief to shock as it was confirmed that I had lobular carcinoma which included a 6 cm mass. I was told that the treatment I needed would make me very sick, lose my hair and become a regular patient. They weren’t kidding! The 2 years of treatment were brutal. First came 4 months of Chemo, followed by a full mastectomy and a complex reconstruction. Radiotherapy and 2 further operations followed.
I had always been a supporter of Maggie’s and raised funds through attendance at glamorous lunches and by completing sporting challenges, but I was initially reluctant to visit the centre myself. I believe it was due to my lack of acceptance of now being on the other side. “Don’t you dare see me as a victim, I simply have cancer!”
Imagine a time when you are at your lowest and cannot make sense of anything. Your usual sense of self and strength to simply work through what life throws at you, has disappeared. You are undeniably different; confused, terrified and don’t know what to do with all of these feelings. This is where Maggie’s comes in – and certainly came in for me. Through compassionate questioning and unfathomable empathy, they helped me work through every fear and frustration, and gave me the strength to move onwards.
‘Balanced’ was know to me as somewhere you go with a sports injury so when the counsellor at Maggie’s suggested I attend the Friday Pilates session which had been created specifically for those going through or recovering from treatment, I was terrified. I hadn’t exercised since I was diagnosed, I had lost all confidence in myself physically and I had no hair! Another threshold to be conquered. From the moment I met Ben and the other class members I realised, once again, that I was about to receive kindness combined with practical help in the form of customised exercises to help me get through to the other side!
Maggie’s and Balanced provided immeasurable physical and emotional support and, alongside the incredible support from my friends and family, helped me to get through the most challenging period of my life. Thank you to you all.