From patient to volunteer
PICTURE: Lucy with Ian, one of our drivers, during her radiotherapy journeys
Lucy Hart knew she was at risk from breast cancer. It had claimed her mother’s life at only 57, so she and her two sisters were regularly screened for the disease.
But however well Lucy knew the statistics, it was still a shock when in March 2019 she was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 56.
Lucy, from Dunnington, had always had troublesome breast cysts. She had discovered some and was seen at York Hospital in January 2018, when she was reassured that they were nothing to worry about.
However, a year later, Lucy noticed a lump again. She went to her GP who said they were in the same place, and asked if she wanted to be referred back to hospital. “I don’t know why I said yes, maybe I had a sixth sense,” she recalled.
Lucy had a mammogram, an ultrasound and biopsies and a clip inserted. Nine days later, her surgeon sat her down with her husband, Simon and her sister Jane. “She said it wasn’t good news, but it was treatable,” said Lucy.
The following four months were a whirlwind of treatments including a lumpectomy and the removal of two lymph nodes followed by a second operation. After surgery her cancer was downgraded from grade two to grade one, but she still needed three weeks of radiotherapy.
Lucy works in north Leeds, managing a team who work with children and their families, so she was used to the journey, but she still found our minibus a weight off her mind.
She spoke about the company of the others and how they all supported each other. They played the Ken Bruce Radio 2 quiz PopMaster each morning. “Ian or Neil (York Against Cancer’s minibus drivers) would change station to Radio 2, the volume was turned up and everyone would shout the answers out.”
Chocolates on the way home were an added bonus. Lucy is still in contact with many of her fellow travellers.
“One of the ladies I was travelling with couldn’t get on to the bus on one day because it was already full. She was in her 70s with lung cancer and she had to get three buses, one into York, a second to Leeds and a third up to the hospital.
“That’s what brought home to me just what this service means to people – I would have given her my seat if I had known.”
Lucy has always been active, enjoying yoga and running, and she was determined her diagnosis wouldn’t keep her from her activities.
“Less than 24 hours after my operation I was walking around the block,” she recalled. “Within a few days I was walking three miles. I’ve been doing park runs for two years.
“I did the York 10K last summer and as I came to the Millennium Bridge I noticed there was a group of people from York Against Cancer there to cheer us on. It was really emotional, I was in floods of tears.”
Lucy has become interested in volunteering for York Against Cancer. She helped at our awareness day last Autumn and hopes to become more involved when we move to our new base in Monks Cross.
“Everything has changed since my treatment,” she said. “You look at life differently and I feel very, very lucky."