I found a lump in my breast on the Friday night before Easter. After a horrible three weeks of uncertainty and prodding we found out it was DCIS and unlikely to need chemo. I still had to have the mastectomy though (big lump, small boob) but this meant I could have the reconstruction in the same operation.

We had a five-week holiday planned (and paid for) to travel to Africa on 30th July to climb Mt Kilimanjaro and also do a two-week bike tour through Tanzania and Kenya. I thought we'd have to cancel for sure, but the amazing surgeons and oncologist thought we'd give it a crack and so with the op on 24th April I had the target to meet to be well enough to re-start training in time for the adventure.

Well, 10 weeks after the op I was standing on the top of Mt Kili after hiking for six days, complete with my new boob, no pain and definitely looking forward. Then onto the bike ride for two weeks of off-road and camping all the way. The cancer hasn’t stopped anything and we have our China adventure booked for this year so it’s just not getting in our way.