Circus Extreme performer Laura Miller, who was diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago, has been wowing the crowds in Belfast this week as she continues to inspire other survivors with her return to the arena.
Laura began treatment for stage three invasive breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast while she was putting on a costume for her circus act at a show in Puerto Rico in 2012.
Back then it seemed as though her diagnosis would spell the end of her career but a decade on, she's currently performing with Circus Extreme, Europe’s largest travelling circus at the Boucher Road Playing Fields.
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From Bognor Regis in West Sussex, she has fulfilled a lifelong dream with the self-created act, a life that was dangerously on the verge.
Laura originally left home to join the circus, originally as a dancer, but soon realised her fate was soaring above the circus rather than dancing in it. She has been one of the stars in the ring since 2003.
After spending many years establishing her career, she noticed a lump on her breast back in 2012.
Speaking to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Laura recalled: “I had a random costume change and as I was looking in the mirror, I spotted a lump in my breast. It was quite lucky that I was wearing that costume because I wouldn’t have noticed it otherwise.
“I was 32, fit and healthy so it was just a complete shock.”
Medics initially tried to reassure her that the lump wasn't serious because she was in her early 30s at the time, however, a referral for a biopsy later revealed stage three invasive breast cancer.
Laura had to undergo three surgeries, six months of chemotherapy, three weeks of radiotherapy and a year of targeted Herceptin treatment, followed by two reconstructive surgeries.
Her treatment lasted two years, during which she had to give up performing and move back in with her parents. To keep herself motivated, Laura envisioned holding on to her aerial ring. For her, working in the circus was not only a job, but a way of life.
“Giving up is not my thing, I just wanted to go back to the ring,” she explained.
“We were all together, always touring, always travelling. So to suddenly find myself at home and my mum and dad’s house for two years, it was like completely flipping life.”
These days she is on the top of the world after a remarkable recovery, believing that the circus and its audiences have saved her.
“The first performance was probably one of the most incredible moments of my life. I just can’t even describe it. I really cried tears,” she said.
“There were a lot of tears. My family, my colleagues, they bought me a big bunch of flowers and there was a standing ovation. It was an amazing moment that I will never forget,” she said.
Laura has also founded a Facebook self-help group for young women suffering from breast cancer.
"Such offers are rare for people of my age, those affected need support," said the artist.
She also advises that both women and men regularly check their breasts.
“When you go home, just have a little check of your breasts and the rest area under arms and if you see any lumps, any thickness, any anything that isn’t normal, don’t be afraid to go to the doctor and get checked out because early diagnosis saves lives.
“That’s what saved my life. If I left it a few months more, I might not be here today.”
Circus Extreme is at Boucher Road Playing Fields in Belfast until November 6. More details here.
Video by Belfast Live videographer Dylan Hegarty.
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