Jill’s Story – 2024 Update

October 2024 marks the 4th anniversary of Jill Rackham being diagnosed with breast cancer. It is also Breast Cancer Awareness month, so we’ve caught up with Jill to talk about the ups and downs of life after breast cancer.

Jill was diagnosed with Multifocal Estrogen Positive Breast Cancer in October 2020, aged 43. Her treatment involved several surgeries to remove tumours, including a mastectomy with reconstruction, followed by hormone therapy. She was found to be a carrier of the BRCA1 gene, meaning she has a higher genetic risk of getting certain types of cancer, which led to a decision to have her ovaries removed and her remaining breast. Her medication plus the loss of her ovaries means Jill produces no oestrogen, plunging her into an immediate post-menopausal state and putting her at risk of osteoporosis.

Four years later Jill has had no recurrence of her cancer, but she has struggled with many health issues post-treatment and wants to raise awareness of worries that many people who have come through cancer treatment deal with daily.

“I know I’m lucky to be here after cancer, as many people aren’t as lucky.” says Jill, “However, there’s this perception that once you’ve overcome cancer, you’ll be fine and the same as before. Some people are, but many more aren’t. You never go back to how you were, whether that’s physically or mentally, or maybe both.”

“I have a constant worry about secondary cancer, which isn’t usually curable. A few months after my cancer treatment finished, I had pneumonia and 2 nodules were found in my lungs. Luckily scans have revealed these haven’t changed but obviously, I was incredibly worried that my cancer had metastasized to my lungs. A year later I had some thickened tissue in my breast, which was revealed to be scar tissue and later on, some back pain was causing concern regarding bone cancer but that was revealed to be unrelated too. All of these things require scans and visits to the consultant, causing me to relive the feelings associated with my original cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Jill works in a primary school and is a parent to teenage boys and says she has had to find a ‘new normal’ to allow her to carry on with her busy life. “I’m now on a lot of tablets, having not been on any before my cancer treatment. I don’t want to come across as negative to others, so I just get on with it, but some days are tough and it’s impossible not to compare your journey to other people’s. I’ve had to make significant changes to my life to consider my health, and that’s been a challenge to accept when I’m still relatively young!”

During and after her cancer treatment, Jill found that writing poetry helped her to come to terms with her situation and has since published a book of poetry that has raised thousands of pounds for Cavendish Cancer Care and Weston Park Hospital.

“I’ve been a regular at the hospital recently with all my health concerns, and my family have benefitted from help from Cavendish, so I’m just pleased to be able to raise some money so that more people can benefit like I did.” said Jill.

Cavendish has recently announced a new course based on a model of therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It is ideal for people who have completed cancer treatment but who, like Jill, may struggle with worry, fear of recurrence or in accepting their ‘new normal’. The course, which runs as a group session, starts on November 7^th and runs over four weeks with a follow-up in January 2025. For information click HERE

Jill’s poetry book, Breast Cancer and Me, is available to buy for £5 from Cavendish Cancer Care’s reception or at  https://jsrackham.com/poems