Hi, I just wanted everyone to know what life after cancer means to me.  When I was first diagnosed I think that my brain shut off as I was just trying to deal with the fact that I had been told that I had the disease most people never want to hear that they have. I had found a tiny lump which my doctor and the consultant thought was a cyst but was a cancerous small tumour. It was thought that I would have a lumpectomy but from a further scan revealed another tumour much deeper. This meant that I would have to have a mastectomy. I was extremely lucky to have the most brilliant surgeon who did an implant at the same time as the mastectomy and I was able to go back to work six weeks from having the surgery. I was really fortunate that the cancer hadn't spread so was not in the lymph nodes and I didn't have to have any chemotherapy or radiotherapy. I count myself as one of the lucky ones as I know not everyone is as fortunate as I am. I am able to move on with my life but I think what has changed is I don't take things for granted anymore. Every day I wake up is a blessing as it could have been such a different story for me. What was really strange for me was that I don't really believe in god but the day before I had the surgery I actually felt the need to go into our local church. I actually felt such a calming influence from being there that I didn't feel nervous or anxious about the surgery the following morning. I haven't suddenly been converted by this experience but it helped me at that time. Everyone who are diagnosed with cancer have to deal with it in their own way and for some they don't get the reprieve that I have. For me and a lot of others there is life after cancer and that is all any of us can hope for.