Keeper Shanna and her Coppatrek for Breast cancer awareness

This June, Keeper Shanna Dymond is sharing her positive story to inspire everyone into regularly 'copping a feel’ of themselves, whilst setting out on an extraordinary, life-changing trek, all in the name of raising awareness of breast cancer at a young age! 

Shanna has been selected by the charity Coppafeel! to take part taking on an astonishing 100km over 5 days in the stunning Welsh scenery of the Brecon Beacons with the incredible Giovanna Fletcher at the helm, awesome Celebrity Team Captains, like Strictly Come Dancing Professional, Amy Dowden, and a fabulous community of trekkers, many of whom have themselves had Breast Cancer or it has affected a close relative/friend!

Together they will raise funds towards CoppaFeel!'s mission to stamp out the late diagnosis of breast cancer by encouraging everyone to regularly check our chests and getting to know our bodies, so we can have the confidence to see our GP if something doesn't feel normal.

Breast cancer is a disease that affects so many people, including Shanna, as she was diagnosed with a very rare type at the age of 35!  She found her lump whilst showering and had a appointment at Blackthorn Health Centre, in Hamble, within 36 hours; the GP was fantastic and referred Shanna immediately for investigation at PAH. Early detection is what Shanna believes saved her life as it was discovered upon her surgery of a severe mastectomy, that the cancer was already 2 large tumours, Stage 3 and had spread into a very high number of her lymph nodes, so Shanna's treatment then involved full FEC-T chemotherapy and 15 sessions of Radiotherapy throughout 2016! 

This, however, is sadly not always the case, with younger women not regularly checking their chests, unsure of what is 'their' normal or wanting to go to a healthcare professional to be checked or if they do not being listening too sometimes! 

Shanna would like to thank Blackthorn Health Centre staff, in particular the wonderful nursing team who she sees every 4 weeks for injections, and Blackthorn pharmacy staff for their friendly, professional and compassionate support as she continues her cancer treatment.

Let's come together Southampton as a community and support this important cause. Help her to reach her target of £2,250 by heading to www.justgiving.com and searching 'Shanna Dymond Coppafeel'

Follow her journey  @coppafeeldymond 

Thank you for your generosity and support.