Hi I’m Max,

A 55 year old wife and mother of three adult children who are all still living at home. I was recently diagnosed with an aggressive triple negative breast cancer. 

After the initial shock, laced with fear, I then felt such deep sadness for my children and grandchildren. I feared no one would love, accept and support them as much as I do. My daughter is a 20 year old introvert, who since the pandemic suffers with social anxiety and depression, we are “best friends”. I worry that she will have no one without me.

I’ve now adopted a vegan diet and have become tee-total. I have introduced more exercise and am trying to drastically alter my lifestyle, even resigning from my stressful high profile job. I intend to take a year off work and then look at part time roles. I have reached out to friends and family to try to build a support network.

The signs so far are the cancer has been caught early, no signs of spread but there are more tests planned and this leaves the fear that something will be found. Today I woke up with a deep sense of sadness, looking over picture memories on my phone with eyes filled with tears and feeling an overwhelming hurt that this might be the end ….. I want and hope to live!