{"id":7431,"date":"2025-10-24T10:35:51","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T10:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=7431"},"modified":"2025-10-29T21:33:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:33:51","slug":"i-finished-chemotherapy-then-ran-an-ultramarathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/24\/i-finished-chemotherapy-then-ran-an-ultramarathon\/","title":{"rendered":"I finished chemotherapy \u2013 then ran an ultramarathon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As an experienced ultra athlete it\u2019s nothing I\u2019ve not dealt with before, but this time was differen (Picture: Emma Marks)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Crossing the finish line of my ultramarathon, tears immediately began to fall.<\/p>\n

For the past seven hours, I\u2019d battled torrential rain and wind, grappled with 6,000ft terrains and pushed through exhaustion.<\/p>\n

Because six weeks earlier, I\u2019d finished treatment for stage 3 breast cancer<\/a>, and better yet, I’m now in complete remission. <\/p>\n

I found the lump early \u2013 specifically, while in the supermarket on a Sunday in October 2024 \u2013 when I just happened to brush my breast and accidentally knocked the hard pea-sized lump. <\/a><\/p>\n

Immediately, I froze in the queue with fear. \u2018That\u2019s never been there before,\u2019 I thought to myself and booked an urgent appointment at my local GP for the next morning.<\/p>\n

To my relief, my doctor thought it was just a fatty lump, but referred me for my first ever mammogram just to be safe. I thought it would be a waste of time.  <\/p>\n

That same day, I had two mammograms <\/a>and a biopsy. The day after that, I had a further 15 biopsies. <\/p>\n

Still, I sat in the waiting room expecting all would be well. And when I saw three doctors enter a nearby room, I assumed someone else was going to get bad news.<\/p>\n

Then they called my name.<\/p>\n

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I had to wait two weeks for my biopsy results, but it may as well have been a year (Picture: Emma Marks)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was told that my cells looked \u2018suspicious in nature\u2019 and that my official results would be ready in a fortnight \u2013 that\u2019s a long time to wait when you\u2019re terrified of the outcome.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, in mid-November, the results and my doctor confirmed it: I had stage 3 HER2-positive breast cancer.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tBreast Cancer Now\u2019s Wear It Pink Day.\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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24 October 2025 is Breast Cancer Now\u2019s Wear It Pink Day.<\/a><\/p>\n

It is one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK, raising awareness for Breast Cancer. <\/p>\n

Taking place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month<\/a>, this day encourages people to raise money and show support.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

This type of breast cancer<\/a> means that the cancer cells make too much of a protein called HER2, which enables cancer cells to grow and spread more rapidly. In my case, the cancer <\/a>had already spread from my breast to nearby lymph nodes. <\/p>\n

For a moment I simply sat in disbelief.<\/p>\n

I would need chemotherapy first to shrink the size of the tumour and then a mastectomy followed by radiotherapy. This was real, and it was happening to me.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t tell my two children the news at first: I\u2019d got the results just before my son’s sixteenth birthday and I wanted him to enjoy his party.<\/p>\n

Eventually though, after about a week of trying to act normally, I sat them down with their dad and began one of the hardest conversations I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve got breast cancer,\u2019 I told them plainly. My daughter got upset but my son didn’t say anything, which was equally worrying. I quickly added that \u2018doctors are certain that I\u2019ll survive this.\u2019<\/p>\n

However, even I hadn\u2019t absorbed how potentially serious this was \u2013 I was very naive about the treatment I was about to receive and was focused on trying to remain positive.<\/p>\n

On 18 December 2024 I started my six rounds of chemotherapy. I completely lost my voice at one point and everything tasted like battery acid \u2013 both of which are common side effects for chemo patients. I couldn\u2019t even eat the chocolates people had bought me, and I swapped my Christmas dinner for ice lollies.<\/p>\n

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I was surrounded by lovely nurses and other cancer patients going through the same thing (Picture: Emma Marks)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Strangely though, I found those days of having chemotherapy actually enjoyable. I was surrounded by lovely nurses and other cancer patients going through the same thing and we’d all just sit and chat.<\/p>\n

The only thing that upset me was seeing how scared my children were. <\/p>\n

One day, I gave my son a big hug and asked if he wanted to talk about it, and he just asked me if I was going to die. I told him I had to get sick to get better but that I would<\/em> get better.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tMetro.co.uk joins forces with CoppaFeel!\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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This year Metro.co.uk are the proud sponsors of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!’s music festival Festifeel<\/a>, specially curated by their patron, Fearne Cotton.<\/p>\n

Taking place on Sunday 18 September at London’s Omeara, the line up includes headliners McFly, comedian Rosie Jones and Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts. <\/p>\n

You can find out more about CoppaFeel! here<\/a>, but in the meantime, here’s three simple steps from the charity to get you started on your chest-checking journey:<\/p>\n

Look<\/strong><\/p>\n