Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Jo's Inspirational Story

This October, as we recognise Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we want to shine a spotlight on one of our incredible members, Joanne James, and her journey with breast cancer.

I definitely discovered exercise later in life, being a child of the eighties, I was not sporty at school and my diet mainly consisted of Findus crispy pancakes, pot noodles and fray bentos pies. So when we had kids I decided I wanted to do better, learn more about how to eat healthy and look after my body so I would be a good role model.

I started going to Blaydon Leisure Centre around 15 years ago, and it has been part of my life ever since, attending classes and the occasional swim or gym session.

Last March things all went to pot when I discovered a dimple under my right breast, I hadn’t really noticed it till I was getting ready in front of the mirror and I lifted both arms in the air. I wasn’t really concerned at first, just thinking I’ll go to the docs and get checked, but the next morning whilst lying asleep on my back in bed, I swept my hand over the lump and my whole body just shuddered, I could feel it.

I went straight to the walk in centre and was given a 2 week referral to be seen at the breast care unit at the QE. The time leading up to this was full of fear and uncertainty whilst also trying to keep telling myself it will be fine, but it wasn’t.

I had a 22m triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma grade 3 on my right breast, I knew in my heart that it was cancer as soon as I felt it, but having it confirmed was overwhelming and I cried a lot. I had to tell my husband and my children which was tough, but I knew I had their support to just get through it, start the treatment, do as I was told and remain hopeful that at some point I would beat it and recover.

The treatment was 15 rounds of chemotherapy, a lumpectomy, 5 days radiotherapy and then 4 sessions of immunotherapy. My oncologist was very positive that the treatment would work and indeed it did.

Exercise was reduced to walks only, which was tough as my favourite class is Zumba, I love to dance. I couldn’t wait to get back to it.

I started back at the leisure centre beginning of this year, taking it easy at first but now I’m fully back and loving it! Being part of the classes is so much more than the music and movement, its all the people you meet, faces you see every week to say hello to or chat to. When I was going through treatment, members reached out to me, checking in, wishing me well and spurring me on, it’s a real community and I’m so happy to be back.