Life has a funny way of throwing you a curve ball sometimes. When that happened to me I had a choice - run away or throw the darn ball back in it's face - hard!
I decided to chose the latter.

I was diagnosed with Stage 2 IDC Breast Cancer on Friday 13th July (yes, a little bit ironic!) at the age of 43. I was very scared. But also very angry. And very determined that I was going to fight it every step of the way. I had chemo first to shrink the tumour. Losing my hair was upsetting, but I wore my bald head as a badge of pride. I was kicking cancer in the you-know-where. Chemo didn't really work in shrinking the tumour.

I had all my nodes taken out and two lumpectomies but it still lurked so I had a mastectomy and immediate recon (that didn't go smoothly either - long story!) I felt like a had a stalker - the evil left boob of doom, who was determined to take away everything. I could not let her win.

All the way through I have had the most wonderful support from my amazing husband, two children, family and friends. I was determined to get better for them. I made a promise to them that I would NOT die. And I WOULD get better. And we would make the most of life. And enjoy the moment.

Music saved me - even on my darkest days I put on my iPod and listened to my rock music and I knew I could do it . I have taken my daughter to several gigs in the last year and we got to meet the guitarist from our favourite band backstage - the best moment ever!

It's just over a year since the last op. I still have regular scans and check-ups. I still worry that it might come back. But if it does, it will be sorry. I am not going to let it beat me. I love my life and I am going to keep on living it.

Emma Richardson
Woking, United Kingdom