by “It all happened so fast that your feet didn’t touch the ground. It was a huge shock.”
A mother-of-two has been told she has cancer for the third time after her daughter noticed a spot on her arm. Jo Fahy, 61, from Wirral, received her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2006 when she discovered a lump in her left breast.
Jo had surgery to remove the lump in her breast, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Jo said: “The moment you find out you have cancer is one you never forget, especially the first cancer diagnosis.”
“It was such a shock. I came across this lump by chance and mentioned it when I went to the doctor to get some medication. It all happened so fast that your feet don’t touch the ground. It was a huge shock.
READ MORE: 33-year-old mother dies months after being told she had an ‘ear infection’READ MORE: TUI apologises after woman barred from boarding P&O cruise
“The hardest part was telling my two girls, who were in their early 20s at the time. My husband Steve and all my family and friends have been so supportive, I feel truly blessed. I think I’d rather have cancer myself than watch someone else go through it.”
We use your registration to deliver content to you in ways you have agreed to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include advertising from us and third parties based on what we know about you. More info
Over the next five years, Jo was given the hormone therapy drug exemestane – first tested by Cancer Research UK – and was told she was cancer-free. Sadly, after nine years of being cancer-free, Jo received the devastating news after a mammogram that the cancer had returned, this time in her other breast.
The child services commissioner said: ‘I had clear mammograms for nine years after my treatment, so I was very surprised when I was scanned again. They said it was nothing to do with it at all, but the cancer was back, this time in my right breast.
“I had to undergo another lumpectomy and radiotherapy, but luckily I didn’t need chemotherapy this time and was able to return to work after three months. Around the same time, my brother died of colon cancer.
“It happened so quickly, he was only 43. And after that, I felt like so many people I knew had been diagnosed with cancer or knew someone who had cancer. It affects so many people.”
In 2022, Jo’s daughter Danielle noticed a disturbing spot on her arm and advised her to get it checked out. However, tests confirmed that the spot was cancerous and Jo was diagnosed with melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – for the third time.
Jo underwent another operation and is now continuing to have regular check-ups. She said: “You have to re-prioritize your life. You have to enjoy what you do with your time. We are planning to travel to America later this year, which we have only talked about so far.”
“I now try to make the most of every day. Thanks to research, treatments are constantly improving and I try my best not to live my life in fear of it coming back. It can ruin your life.”
The mother of two, who is now in remission for the third time and has six grandchildren, is taking part in a neon-lit night run for Cancer Research UK. Jo describes herself as one of the “lucky ones” and knows the importance of raising vital funds for research so more people like her can survive.
Joined by a group of friends, Jo is taking part in the charity’s 10k Shine Night Walk, which returns to Liverpool on Friday 6 September. With around 44,700 people diagnosed with cancer in the North West each year and the number of cases continuing to rise, Jo is hoping that people of all abilities will help raise vital funds in the fight against the disease.
Jo said: “Almost one in two of us will develop cancer in our lifetime, but we can all support the research that will beat it. I am so grateful to be able to spend more precious time with my loved ones.
“I owe everything to the work of Cancer Research UK and the research into better treatments, so I hope my story inspires people to grab their glowsticks and sign up for the Shine Night Walk.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re not the fittest or the fastest. It’s about being part of a community that has a common goal: to save lives. September 6 is Liverpool’s big moment for everyone affected by this devastating disease.”
The event will begin at Liverpool Pier Head at 8pm on Friday 6 September. Participants will then parade through the city streets in a lit parade, passing some of Liverpool’s famous landmarks including the Liver Building and St George’s Hall.
Participants in the Shine Night Walk can either raise money for the type of cancer they care about most, or they can support research to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Last year’s event in Liverpool raised more than £100,000 for Cancer Research UK to support life-saving research. Research currently underway in Liverpool includes a study into how the immune system can stop pancreatic cancer from spreading and a project into why some throat cancers do not respond to treatments.
Jemma Humphreys, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North West, said: “Eight out of 10 people who receive cancer drugs on the NHS receive a drug developed by us or in collaboration with us. Our scientists have driven forward the development of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, paved the way for targeted treatments and improved the way we fight the disease using surgery.
“Together we will beat cancer. Progress like this is thanks to fundraisers like Jo, who have helped us double the UK cancer survival rate over the last 50 years. But that’s not all. Whether people are walking for their loved ones, future generations or with friends old and new, by taking part in the Shine Night Walk they are taking us one step closer to a world where everyone can live longer and better lives without fear of cancer.”
People in Merseyside can also support research like this by volunteering with the Shine Night Walk. From helping to set up the course to guiding participants around the city, there are lots of ways to get involved, meet new people and learn new skills. Click here to get involved or volunteer.
