A Letter To... My Incredible Life-savers To My Wonderful Doctors,

When you said those two terrifying words in March 2018, my worst fears were confirmed. Breast cancer.

- Saskia Murphy

I’d found a lump four weeks earlier. Deep down, I just knew. But you told me I had grade-two cancer in my left breast and one of my lymph nodes.

I thought I’d prepared myself for the news.

Wrong!

It was such a shock. Worse than hearing it myself was telling my daughter Eden, then 18, and Mum Fidelis, 72.

I’m a single mum, and Eden took the news badly.

But you let me bring her to an oncology appointment so she could hear about my treatment, ask questions. It made her less scared. You decided it’d be best for me to have chemotherapy to shrink the tumour. Then you could look at operating.

In April 2018, I started treatment at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

Cancer treatment is daunting, but you put me at ease.

My hair soon started falling out, so I shaved it off.

I embraced my newlook, and people who didn’t know I had cancer complimented my new hairstyle.

I felt empowered. And while the treatment left me exhausted, I was determined to keep fighting.