Chloe, now 26, from Sandbach, was 16 years old when her mum Lucy was given the “gut-wrenching” diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer.
Triple negative breast cancer describes a diverse group of breast cancers that lack the three molecules which are used to classify the disease.
The absence of these molecules means that treatment for this type of breast cancer is mostly limited to a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
Chloe told Cheshire Live: “In 2013 my mum, aged 31 at the time, found a lump in her breast.
“Shortly, we were told that she had a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer.
“I was 16 at the time and we were incredibly hopeful that her treatment would be positive.
“However, it quickly became clear that there were many difficulties in the way, and her form of cancer was particularly aggressive.”
Unfortunately, Lucy’s cancer didn’t just stick to her breast and travelled to her lymph nodes.
The mum began chemotherapy and then radiotherapy but she kept finding new lumps.
She was given further chemotherapy sessions but her tumour still doubled in size and spread back into her breast, making her cancer incurable.
Chloe said: “My mum was incredibly brave and resilient every step of the way. Armed with questions regarding what happens next, she showed no fear.
“There were limited options left, and the oncologist told her to do the things in life that she wanted to do, something that was pretty gut-wrenching to hear.
“My mum was 33 years old, I thought she would be around forever.”
Despite her health ordeal, Lucy would always encourage and empower Chloe to be a strong, independent woman and to make the best of her life, even right before she passed.
Chloe added: “She encouraged me to go out and try to enjoy myself. I was wearing an outfit she purchased for my birthday, she asked me to do a twirl and she said, ‘You look beautiful Chloe’.
“Those were the last words that she said to me, and I will hold on to them forever.”
Lucy is “incredibly missed” by her family, but her “legacy lives on through all that know and love her”.
Now, Chloe and the family are supporting the charity Breast Cancer Now through ‘Legacy4Lucy’ campaign which has helped to raise more than £300,000, to ensure Lucy’s mission to support individuals living with the disease lives on.
Chloe has previously completed the London Marathon and Breast Cancer Now’s Pink Ribbon Walk.
The 26-year-old will be taking part in this walk again on July 8 and is calling on fellow fundraisers to join her and her grandad at the Chatsworth House event.
Chloe added: “Breast Cancer Now does some incredible work to pioneer new treatments to help people improve their quality of life, gain extra time or overcome this terrible disease.
“Since my mum has passed, there have been developments to the treatments offered for triple negative breast cancer, and although sometimes you think, ‘What could have been’, in the case of my mum, I know that she would be so pleased to see that a difference is being made.
“Breast Cancer Now have a bold vision – that by 2050, everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live, and be supported to live well, which I am on board with and it’s why it’s so important to me to fundraise for the charity.
“I take a lot of comfort from seeing the amazing work that Breast Cancer Now does. After all, the developments that are being made could benefit you or me.”
You can find out more about the Pink Ribbon Walk and join the fundraising efforts here: breastcancernow.org/ribbonwalk.
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