Beyond the Diagnosis: From Cancer to Cabaret - Shona's Story
- livewellwithcancer
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Writing has been a part of our charity since our Creative Writing sessions on Zoom during the pandemic. The first blog we ever posted was called Beyond the Diagnosis, written by our wonderful trustee Sarah to share her experiences and lessons learned along the way.
Since starting Live Well Writers, we’ve had the pleasure of hearing stories from our community, and we’re excited to share them over the coming weeks and months.
From Cancer to Cabaret
During the rollercoaster that was my cancer ride, it was bloody scary, from initial appointment, mammograms and biopsies to oncology, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
I was 49, with two children and an amazing husband. Cancer wasn't something that happened in our family. Asthma, bronchitis, heart failure, dementia, yes, but not cancer, and certainly not breast cancer.
There are events in your life you never forget – Elvis dying, John Lennon being shot, Lady Diana’s car crash, oh and the day you are told you have grade 4 breast cancer. I remember being told, but it was my husband who remembers the specifics like dates. My brain was already onto the what ifs.
What if I can’t tell the kids? How will the kids cope at school? How do I tell my family, my friends? What if I lose my job?
I attended every appointment, listened to hundreds of instructions, lost track of the number of needles, bloods, drugs, surgeries and things that went wrong because, with me, anything that could go wrong, did! Sepsis, neutropenia, COVID-19 and being dismissed from work as they could no longer support my absence caused by my cancer and its treatments. This last hurt may have hurt more than the disease. Cancer isn’t picky, it doesn’t care who it chooses, but my employers could choose to be supportive, choose to do the right thing.
Cancer free
And then it was 2024. Chemotherapy had been completed. Radiotherapy had been completed. All my surgeries had been completed. One by one, I was discharged from all those teams.
I should have been elated, ecstatic. After all, I was cured, I no longer had cancer.
Even though I was cancer free, I could have gone into a very deep, dark place. Instead, I decided to visit a craft group at Live Well with Cancer. I’d known about the charity since my diagnosis, attending a couple of events and following them on Facebook, but nothing consistent.
I absolutely love to be creative. It soothes my soul – it can frustrate too, mind! From crocheting to sewing, I’ve made drain bags and surgery cushions for the breast team, plus masks and laundry bags during COVID. I love painting, journaling, jewellery making and everything in between, so Crafting for Wellbeing seemed a great place to start, to fill the void of no appointments booked in my diary – I know that sounds weird, but that was how I lived for nearly three years, from appointment to appointment.
Our crafting group has become a mainstay in my diary – I try not to book any appointments for Wednesdays. I’ve made some lovely friends, even if we are ‘the bad influence’ of the group. I’ve since joined Live Well Writers, a smaller but growing group of those who love to write, chat and definitely drink coffee!
The Live Well team I’ve met along the way are amazing. Maureen steers the ship, ably assisted by her merry men and women, including Dawn at Crafting and Ben at Writers.
Fashion Show and Catwalk Cabaret
The proudest moment of my cancer recovery was being a model at the Live Well Fashion Show of 2025. I made origami roses for the table centres, navigated costume changes on the hottest day of the day (with broken air conditioning!) and took to the stage with almost 200 people watching as I danced around the room.
Words cannot give justice to the love, the healing, the friendship. Everyone supporting everyone no matter what. The evening was out of this world, and no one gave a fuck about their cancer.
In 2026, we’re growing bigger, brighter and bolder with the Live Well Catwalk Cabaret.
I cannot wait.
Live Well Writers meet every Tuesday from 11-2pm at the Live Well Hub. The sessions and our resources and publications are made possible by the generosity of our funders.
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