"IF YOU'RE reading this, it means I have died. But do not cry for me. I have lived life on my own terms, the way I have wanted to."
The powerful words of Kate Rackham, a beloved wife, teacher and mum-of-two.
But Kate wasn't just a guiding light to those in her family, at school, and circle of friends at home in Urmston, Trafford.
She was perhaps more well known by her other name 'Teacher with Cancer. On her social media platform, tens of thousands of people followed her journey living with incurable breast cancer.
Cancer was a part of her life, but it was just one part. Along with her honest updates about the progresses and setbacks of living with cancer, Kate's huge fanbase took comfort and heart in her posts as she brought them along on her interesting, vulnerable, and often charming day-today activities with her husband and their two daughters.
Kate was diagnosed at the age of 39 without any obvious risks that would make her more likely to develop cancer. Two years later, the family received the nightmarish news no-one wants to ever hear.
Her cancer had spread and Kate received a terminal diagnosis. Also known as advanced or metastatic breast cancer, secondary breast cancer occurs when a cancer that began in the breast spreads to another part of the body.
It is estimated that in England in 2020-2021, more than 57,000 patients were living with metastatic breast cancer. It is the leading cause of death for females aged 35 to 49 in England and Wales.
Grappling with her new reality, Kate dedicated herself to raising awareness and cofounded the Fighting to be Heard Foundation.
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