A daughter has spoken of the 'gut-wrenching' moment her 'brave and resilient' mum was told she had incurable breast cancer at the age of just 33, admitting: "I thought she would be around forever".
Chloe Smith, now 26 and from Sandbach, was just 16 years old when her mum, Lucy found a lump in her breast and was subsequently diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Lucy went on to complete chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, but soon after she was dealt another devastating blow.
A lump developed under her arm, near to her back, and a biopsy confirmed that the cancer had returned. Despite further chemotherapy sessions, this time the tumour doubled in size and spread back into her breast. Sadly, there was nothing more doctors could do for Lucy.
But her daughter Chloe has told how her legacy is now helping others to survive - after more than £300,000 has been raised in her mum's name and memory.
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Chloe described her mum as being "incredibly brave and resilient" throughout, and said she even made the decision to support others living with the disease before her death in 2015. As a result, she and her family have been determined to continue supporting the charity Breast Cancer Now through 'Legacy4Lucy' - which has helped to raise more than £300,000, reports Cheshire Live.
As part of her own fundraising efforts, Chloe has twice completed the London Marathon and last year took part in Breast Cancer Now’s Pink Ribbon Walk. She will once again be completing the walk on July 8 and is calling on fellow fundraisers to join her and her grandad at the Chatsworth House event.
Recalling when her mum was first diagnosed, Chloe said: "In 2013 my mum, aged 31 at the time found a lump in her breast. Shortly we were told that she had a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer. I was 16 at the time and we were incredibly hopeful that her treatment would be positive.
"However, it quickly became clear that there were many difficulties in the way, and her form of cancer was particularly aggressive. The cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, and she began chemotherapy and then radiotherapy.
"Shortly after the chemotherapy and radiotherapy finished, she felt a lump under her arm, near her back. A biopsy confirmed that the cancer had returned. Further chemotherapy sessions were given, but during this time the tumour doubled in size and spread back into her breast. Her cancer was incurable.
"My mum was incredibly brave and resilient every step of the way, armed with questions regarding what happens next- she showed no fear. There were limited options left, and the oncologist told her to ‘do the things in life that she wanted to do’, something that was pretty gut wrenching to hear. My mum was 33 years old, I thought she would be around forever.
"Throughout my whole life my mum has empowered me to be a strong, independent woman and to make the best of my life. The night before she passed away, she encouraged me to go out and try to enjoy myself. I was wearing an outfit she purchased for my birthday, she asked me to do a twirl and she said, ‘you look beautiful Chloe’.
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"Those were the last words that she said to me, and I hold on to them forever. She passed away from triple negative breast cancer aged 33 that next morning surrounded by her family and friends. She is so incredibly missed, but her legacy lives on through all that know and love her."
Triple negative breast cancer refers to a diverse group of breast cancers that lack the three molecules which are normally used to classify the disease. While these molecules have been used successfully to develop a variety of targeted treatments for other types of breast cancer, the absence of them in triple negative means that treatment of this type of breast cancer is mostly limited to a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, which can come with gruelling side effects.
Chloe added: "When my mum was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she made the decision to support individuals living with the disease. Since then, we have been determined to continue supporting Breast Cancer Now with Legacy4Lucy. My mum’s husband Jason has done so much fundraising and all of her close family and friends have helped us to raise over £300,000 for Breast Cancer Now in my mum’s memory.
"Breast Cancer Now does some incredible work to pioneer new treatments to help people improve their quality of life, gain extra time or overcome this terrible disease. Since my mum has passed there have been developments to the treatments offered for triple negative breast cancer and although sometimes you think ‘what could have been’, in the case of my mum, I know that she would be so pleased to see that a difference is being made.
"Breast Cancer Now have a bold vision – that by 2050, everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live, and be supported to live well, which I am on board with and it’s why it’s so important to me to fundraise for the charity. I take a lot of comfort from seeing the amazing work that Breast Cancer Now does. After all, the developments that are being made could benefit you or me."
Claire Pulford, Associate Director, Community and Events at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Chloe, Jason, their family, and friends have all raised an incredible amount of money and, on behalf of Breast Cancer Now, I want to say a huge heartfelt thank you. We simply couldn’t do what we do without your fundraising. The money raised by Legacy4Lucy means that we can make sure we are there for everyone diagnosed with breast cancer, every step of the way."
Challenge yourself to a Pink Ribbon Walk and help fund life-changing research and support. Find out more and register today at breastcancernow.org/ribbonwalk
