I didn’t know what was going on in that moment. You feel like you have stopped and the world is going on around you. Things are happening around you, but not with you. It takes time to digest what you have been told.
45 stories for 45 years. Throughout 2026, we’re sharing the stories of our clients, volunteers and staff who make the Wessex Cancer Support community what it is.
Through our community’s lived experience of cancer, we can provide our clients with the tailored support they need.
For this edition, Alison, a client for Wessex Cancer Support, shares their story and experience.
Unfortunately, it was a bit complicated for me and not as straightforward as ‘you’ve got cancer.’
I had originally gone to the GP with symptoms and had been referred for a mammogram and ultrasound. I was told the lump was benign but that it would need to be removed to stop my symptoms.
After the surgery, I attended a routine appointment to check my wound and was told they had found something more sinister; another day surgery would be needed.
I was reassured that all would be fine and I had told myself ‘I can cope with this’. After my second surgery, I was then told an MRI was needed. The lump hadn’t been benign and they had found even more cancer. They needed to know what they were dealing with.
That’s when the realisation started to hit.
I didn’t know what was going on in that moment. You feel like you have stopped and the world is going on around you. Things are happening around you, but not with you. It takes time to digest what you have been told.
It transpired I had five areas of cancer within one of my breasts. However, because they hadn’t been able to detect the cancer, which I was told is called an occult cancer.
I went from being told ‘it’s fine’, to ending up with a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and ongoing medications.
At the time I didn’t know what the next step was. The treatment was one thing, but what about those around me.
All I could think about was my family. What was I going to tell them? What was I going to tell my friends? What were we going to do? How were we going to get through this? So many questions and very little answers.
I visited Wessex Cancer Support initially for information and the team were so helpful.
Then the support came, in the form of Reflexology for my chemotherapy side effects, craft groups for wellbeing & support, yoga, signposting and just popping in for a cuppa and a chat.
Reflexology really helped and being able to find resources and speak to people openly who understood was so beneficial.
The wide range of services Wessex offers is incredible, some of which I had no idea would benefit me so much. Not just physically, but also my wellbeing.
If you had asked me five years ago ‘would I go to a support group?’ I would have just said: ‘no’. Not my cup of tea, I don’t want to dwell on negative things. I have a different opinion of support groups now. If you want to talk about things, you can. Likewise, if you don’t want to talk, just have a cup of tea, you can do that as well. The centre is an amazing space.
After the support I received, I wanted to give back. I volunteer by running some of the IOW centre’s craft sessions where there’s a level of respect and understanding for each other that’s hard to articulate. People know where you are, how you are, and accept it.
My son was aware how much Wessex Cancer Support had helped me. He wanted to give back and so took part in Abseiling the Spinnaker Tower which was a hugely proud moment for me. He has also donated his time providing event photography.
As a society, we need to talk about cancer more. It has been a taboo subject: you don’t talk about treatment, you don’t talk about what you went through, the lows and how bad you’ve felt. If anyone asks: ‘How are you?’ the normal response is ‘I’m fine’. And it isn’t, always, even years after treatment.
The time after treatment is just as hard as having treatment, you are not the person you used to be, Wessex Cancer Support is an invaluable service and I would encourage anyone to pop in, you will probably be surprised how much it will help you.
I’ve always been a ‘glass-half-full’ person but there were times I’ll admit I struggled.
I’ve realised everyone finds it hard to ask for help. You’re acknowledging to yourself that you need help and that is difficult. We all try to be tough and want to fight our way through, but we all need help sometimes.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, reach out.
While there are niggling doubts and worries that things may come back, I’ve learnt to look at the world with a little bit more detail. Take on board what is out there. Embrace it.
My silver lining is that I’ve made some amazing friends. New, life-long friends, because our friendships are built on a whole new level compared to standard friendship – we have a shared experience.
Our community provides a safe, supportive space for people affected by cancer. Through our emotional and wellbeing services, we provide the support to our communities in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
We’ve been here for you since 1981.
You can call or email your local cancer support centre today or drop in to speak to our friendly team.
