Cathy

Nearly 10 years have passed since Cathy Yates, 54, from Stockport, was given the devastating news that she had breast cancer.

Fast forward to 2022 and she has signed up as a BooBee Ambassador as part of BooBee’s Big Campaign. The BooBees are 100 women, who have been affected by breast cancer, and are joining together to spread awareness and fundraise for a future without breast cancer

Cathy has very kindly shared her story with us and explained why she has joined this vitally important campaign in support of Prevent Breast Cancer.

Could you share with us a summary of your experience with breast cancer?

In 2013, at the age of 44, a single mum to 9-year-old daughter, I was lying in bed one morning when I thought my left breast felt uncomfortable. I checked it and found a lump. There had been no cancer in the family, and I was under 50, so I hadn’t started routine mammograms. However, I was lucky to get a GP appointment the next day and was referred to the breast clinic within a week where I had a mammogram and biopsy. Two weeks later I was devasted to learn that it was cancer. I had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. It was a gruelling time, but I held on to the determination that I was going through this to get the rest of my life back. It won’t be long until I reach 10 years cancer free, and I am thankful every day that I caught the cancer early and the NHS moved so fast with its treatment.

Are you currently undergoing treatment?

I am on Letrozole until 10 years has passed after my treatment completion date.

What inspired you to apply to take part in the BooBee’s Big campaign?

One of my friends who was diagnosed a couple of years after me became a BooBee during the previous campaign, Breastfest, and in 2019, I attended the main event of the campaign – The Afternoon Bee. I was inspired hearing about all the research into how cancer can be prevented in the future – something I hope for my daughter and her generation. Seeing all the BooBees on stage filled me with admiration as well as making me quite emotional

What are you hoping to gain from the experience?

I really want to help raise money for research as well as spreading the word about checking your breasts and getting an early diagnosis where possible – and the bus (more on this below) is an amazing way of promoting this health education. It will also be an enormous personal challenge for me to do the lingerie catwalk during BooBee presents Bingo Bedlam.

Thanks to Cathy for sharing her journey to becoming a BooBee Ambassador with us today.