My Story...
Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at age 35, I was living a full life. I was running a busy steakhouse, was renting a flat with my boyfriend and was a social butterfly, often found at a festival, seeing live music, or out with friends having dinner and drinks. I didn't think too much about how my life was going, I was just along for the ride. But the ride came to a screeching holt that sunny April day I was told I had breast cancer.
I think we can all remember that exact moment, that second, that we got that news. The shock, the disbelief. Then straight into the whirlwind of tests, scans, hospital appointments and treatment plans.
Diagnosis & Treatment
I was diagnosed with Stage 2, Grade 3 Triple Negative breast cancer. As my mum had breast cancer in 2007, I was sent for genetic testing. After going through a gruelling chemotherapy regime, I had a lumpectomy (WLE) before finding out that I had tested positive for the BRCA1 gene fault. This can lead to a 65-85% lifetime risk of getting breast cancer and a 40-60% chance for ovarian. Due to this, I elected to have a double mastectomy and to have my ovaries removed, putting me straight into surgical menopause.
When I emerged from the whirlwind over a year later from my diagnosis, I felt like I'd been put through the wringer and the Kirstie that came out was not the same as the one that went in. During treatment, I just put my head down and got through it but when treatment ended, that's when what I had been through finally hit me.
When I was told I was cancer free and only needed to come back in for check-ups, I felt like I had been pushed out of the bizarre cocoon of cancer treatment and back out into a life that I no longer recognised.
There is so much pressure to feel elated after getting the news you are in remission, and of course I was relieved, but in reality so much had changed for me. My body was different, my busy and stressful job now seemed impossible, I felt anxious and low, I still suffered with fatigue and nausea and I could not stop worrying that the cancer was going to come back.
Forced Menopause
One of the biggest changes and challenges for me was being in surgical menopause at 36 years old. I was told very little about what to expect from the menopause and was given no information at all on how to handle it. Within a few days of my ovaries being removed, I was plunged into a tumult of menopausal symptoms and felt 20 years older than I was. The main side effects for me were intense anxiety, brain fog, aching joints and muscles, loss of libido and more. I have now trained as a Menopause Wellness practitioner so that I can help other women going through this to see that there are many positive interventions we can make to help us through cancer induced menopause, whether physical, mental or emotional.
Life Changes
These experiences led me down the path or rediscovering who I was and what I wanted from my life. Over the next few years, I did a deep dive on health and wellness, trying everything from juicing to breathwork to sound baths. I learnt about recovering from trauma, the mind body connection and coping strategies for anxiety, as well as how to manage my menopause through nutrition, exercise and stress management techniques. Through my various learnings and adventures, I formed a lifestyle and mindset that worked for me. I learnt that I could take back some of the control I had lost, by investing in my health, both mental and physical. It became my passion. I also felt a real need to give something back.
It was at this point I decided I wanted to change my career. I wanted to help breast cancer survivors like myself who may be feeling lost and confused about how to move forward with their lives; to get their power back.
I decided to become a life coach for breast cancer survivors completing my QCF level 5 diploma in Wellness & Resilience Coaching, as well as a diploma as a Menopause Wellness Practitioner.
These last years have given me a wealth of experience, knowledge and empathy for those touched by breast cancer. I have been continuously amazed and inspired by the people I have coached and have gained as much from them as hopefully they have gained from me.
My Coaching Promise
As a coach I am here to hold your hand through this survivor journey. I provide a safe space for you to explore your life, your hopes and dreams, your barriers and what you want from your future. Together we can form a plan of action steps to get you where you want to be, while honouring the challenges you have faced and continue to face. This process does require a real commitment from you, as any sustained change does, but if you are ready, now can be the time to use what you have been through as a catalyst for the future you've always wanted.
So, are you ready to begin?