Part One - The news no woman wants to hear.

It’s been two weeks since I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer and my world started to change.

Change can be good and I intend to make it good. I am 50 years of age, live in Nottingham in the UK, lead a busy and hectic life mainly centred around work, work, work, some might say too much. I am single, have no children and although have many many dear friends my sister Jo is my best friend in the world.

I want to share my journey with you as if it helps create awareness and inform other women to react and examine their breasts carefully then I think it will help me get through this.

So, here goes:

About 4 weeks ago I noticed a change in my breast, not a lump, more a thickening of the skin. I went to my Dr who took a look and said and I quote “you have heavy breasts its water retention come back in 3 weeks." I waited a couple of days by which time the skin had dimpled and started to turn red a bit like sun burn. I decided to go back saw another female Dr who took one look, sent me straight to a breast consultant and the journey begins from here:

Diagnosis: grade 2 stage 3 inflammatory cancer diagnosed on Thursday 27th June 2013 - in shock for about 2 days then something great happened; I entered into what I am calling my 'Warrior Mode' Fight, fight, and fight. This won't beat me, I am strong, I am focussed and I am facing a new future at the end of a long road.

Prognosis: It’s treatable: 6 months of chemo, mastectomy, 6 months of radiotherapy and finally a rebuild

Inflammatory cancer is a rare form of breast cancer, one out of eight women get breast cancer, frightening and 5% of these have inflammatory, its aggressive moves fast already in my lymph nodes but not in my organs or my bones, I have caught it as early as you can for this type of cancer.

On Monday 8th July I had my first round of Chemo which lasted for a couple of hours where the nurses made me laugh the whole way through. Wore a cold cap to prevent hair loss a sort of heavy boxers cap filled with a gel cooled to -25 (I will keep you posted on if it works and I get to keep my hair) However, just in case I have already bought 3 wigs in different colours and I intend to keep glamour and lipstick at the forefront of every session!) Day 2 following chemo, no real side affects to tell you about other than a bit queasy in fact I feel quite hyper. I am still working from home, trying to eat more sensibly but hey that's another story! One that has plagued me my whole life.

Since I have started to tell people I have heard so many wonderful stories that I feel hope, sadness, humour and above all courage from women, some of whom I have not met, some who I have known but never knew about their journey and so my goal is to spread news, inform, educate and generally share these moments with so many brave women. I am lucky, a wonderful sister, my step daugheter Jenny and my supportive family and many dear friends and colleagues who are right behind me and this will not beat me. It’s just one of life’s curved balls that are thrown at you now and again.

I am not a good writer but I can write from the heart, so please share my blog and let’s make it a place where we share laughter, love and stories, but mostly promote this terrible bastard CANCER that affects so many, so that diagnosis comes more early (sorry it will happen a lot me swearing!)

Two years ago I did a charity cycle around china which was the hardest challenge up to that point I had ever had, 60 miles a day for 5 days all up mountains, I was due to do another in Sri Lanka this September, sadly I will not be able to go swapping for a different challenge instead. However the charity was the wonderful Genesis Research Trust which is founded by Professor Winston and is aimed at women for women and the many health issues they face, cancer being just one. My many friends who are doing it again this year will be doing it for me and I will be with them every step of the way as they will be with me on my journey. (genesisresearchtrust.com)

So please join in and send me your thoughts as I embark on my journey.

Love Wendy x