Building back better

Building back better. It sounds like an election slogan but it has actually become my post cancer mantra.

I started off the year wanting to get back to where I was before cancer, but 4 months into 2025, that is no longer my goal. My goal now is to be better than I was before cancer. To be healthier. To get enough sleep. To be outside in nature. To be present with family and friends. To fuel my body with nutritious food. To improve my body composition, manage my stress and concentrate on the things that give me joy. I want to age well, to be physically fit and strong and I am committed to doing all I can to prevent my cancer from returning.

The research tells me that to give myself the best chance of preventing reoccurrence I need to:

1. Exercise.

2. Maintain good body composition (don’t gain too much weight).

3. Give up drinking alcohol.

I am working on all those things. I have just completed my 70th workout out of 2025 (I have committed to doing 250 this year). I have lost 8kgs (6 still left to go) and I have had 3 drinks since I was diagnosed in 2021 (all for special occasions).

I continue to take the drugs I have been prescribed and attend my scheduled follow up appointments with my doctors.

When I started writing this blog it was impossible for me to imagine what was in store for me. I knew it would be hard but I did not expect it would take years. I am approaching the fourth anniversary of my cancer diagnosis this week and only now am I physically restored (having had an areola tattoo at the end of March).

I was genetically tested for 14 different breast and gynaecological cancers this year. I am pleased to report that I am all good in the gene department. I have no nasty mutations that I might have passed on.

I finally mustered the courage to watch Dai Henwood’s documentary series, Live and Let Dai. I shed so many tears my eyes hurt. I loved these quotes from Dai “Cancer consumes 24 hours of my day” and “I do believe cancer is an amazing teacher. It’s taught me resilience. I don’t sweat the small stuff. I am a lot kinder. But it’s time for it to go now. I’ve learnt enough.” Amen Dai. I am in the privileged position of being able to close the door on cancer for now. I’ve learnt enough.

My cancer story will continue though, but it will no longer consume 24 hours of my day. Hopefully it will consume less and less time as I move forward. I have time now to give back. This week I am speaking for the Breast Cancer Foundation on managing fatigue (a topic I feel well qualified to talk about) and I have a message of hope for those affected by breast cancer - you can build back better. I am proof of that.