When Joanne Taylor welcomed her baby girl into the world, she couldn’t wait to spend quality time bonding with her daughter on maternity leave.
But Joanne, who was 38 at the time, was just a few months into her parental leave when her world was turned upside down.
The mum-of-two, from Saddleworth, had lifted her arm to scratch underneath her right breast when she discovered a small lump.
Joanne, now 55, visited a doctor and was referred for further tests. Tragically, she was diagnosed with breast cancer just two weeks later.
Joanne can recall the moment she was given the earth-shattering news. “It was absolutely devastating,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “We had our son and we were happy having a little girl.
Joanne was hit by a devastating diagnosis
(Image: Joanne Taylor)
“It was a shock, an absolute shock. Not just to me, to the whole family, too. At 38, you just don’t expect these things.
“You think it will be something hereditary. You think ‘if I haven’t got any cancer in my family I’ll be okay’.”
Joanne underwent gruelling treatment and was declared cancer-free not long after her diagnosis in 2013.
Everything appeared to be fine until seven years later when a friend reached out to her on Twitter, now known as X, saying she had found a lump in her neck and feared she had secondary breast cancer.
Joanne put the phone down and checked her neck to find a lump of her own – discovering four more over the next few days.
The mum-of-two instantly knew something was very wrong. “I used to go for check-ups on a rotating basis with the oncologist,” she said. “But those were yearly. Everything was okay.
“The worst fear for anyone with cancer is cancer returning. I remember just as I was about to be diagnosed at the hospital, it was a sliding doors moment – where you’re going through one or the other; it’s going to be good news or bad news.
“That split second before they open their mouth and say, ‘Sorry, you’ve got secondary breast cancer,’ it’s just awful.
“You wait for two weeks or whatever to get the results, and what do you do? Start drinking? How do you numb the pain thinking about what they are going to say.
“My kids were seven and nine and I was then thinking, ‘Am I going to see them finish Primary School?'”
Secondary breast cancer, also known as advanced or metastatic breast cancer, occurs when cancer cells from the breast spread to other parts of the body. Joanne has now been living with the disease for 11 years.
Joanne with Andy Burnham
(Image: Joanne Taylor)
While secondary breast cancer is incurable, there are treatments which aim to control and slow the spread of the cancer, relieve symptoms, maintain health and well-being and offer the best quality of life for as long as possible.
Keen to help others in a similar situation, Joanne decided to set up After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) following her initial diagnosis in 2013.
The organisation helps support primary and secondary breast cancer patients to make informed choices by sharing information and up-to-date news on treatments, breast surgeries, consultants, hospitals and useful links.
It also offers peer support for people with breast cancer, aiming to reduce fear, anxiety and isolation while helping patients resume normal life.
“Following my own diagnosis in 2007, I became acutely aware of the lack of resources and information available to patients regarding things like surgery options, exercise, and the latest cancer developments,” Joanne said.
“One avenue I explored was exercise, finding that my own mental health and well-being improved substantially when exercise became part of my own approach to my diagnosis.
“In February 2013, I launched the ABCDiagnosis website so people could have a ‘one-stop shop’ for everything breast cancer, aimed at helping those with primary and also those with secondary disease.
“The website has grown and developed over the years and I think it helps that I can relate to all aspects of other patients’ journeys, having had breast cancer myself.”
Following her second diagnosis, Joanne decided to create another website, METUPUK, the only secondary breast cancer patient advocacy group in the UK.
It aims to raise awareness of metastatic/secondary breast cancer, campaign for fair access to treatment and drugs, and improve patient care and treatment.
Joanne’s incredible efforts have since been recognised in The King’s New Year Honours list – seeing her awarded a BEM for services to breast cancer patients.
“I started advocating from myself straightaway, and it sparked an idea of some kind of signposting and information for other patients,” she said.
“There was no patient voice – all you got was a leaflet. I was 38 and wanted to find people of my age who had kids and all these problems you have as a young person. That was the idea.
“It keeps my mind occupied. At least I’m doing something that can support patients.
“I feel really proud to be nominated. A lot of good people have helped me along the way. It’s amazing, really.”