Breast Cancer: A Personal Story of Recovery, with Rebecca Mayne

On Wednesday 4th December, we were honoured to welcome Rebecca Mayne and her daughter Acacia, both members of the Tormead community. Rebecca shared with us her breast cancer story, detailing her family history of carrying the cancer BRAC1 gene and the screening she undertook. She talked through the discovery of a cancerous lump, and highlighted the ways in which people should check themselves in order to diagnose breast cancer as soon as possible. Rebecca shared with us her experience with chemotherapy treatment and her life changing decision to have preventative mastectomy in order to prevent re occurrence of the cancer. We were all fascinated by the incredible reconstructive surgery she detailed, after her mastectomy. Using a layer of skin and fat from her lower abdomen, surgeons were able to reconstruct two new breasts. Her daughter Acacia discussed the impact on her life and the experiences that she had to face. It was eye opening to hear details of family life and experiences from someone so close to home within our community. We were captivated by their stories and thank them for coming in and speaking to us. It was an incredible talk and I can speak for everyone when I say it was a talk to remember.