Debbie Pitfield, from Chrishall, was diagnosed with cancer herself in December last year.
She embarked upon a journey “with many ups and downs, quite a lot of potholes and one big mechanical failure”.
Now, having completed what Debbie has labelled her ‘Tour de Cancer’ by getting clear of the disease in March, she is preparing to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats for Cancer Research UK and has already raised over £4,300.
“We’ve come a really long way, but we’ve got a lot further to go.
“A cousin has recently died of cancer and I think that just highlights how, although we’re curing a lot more people, we still need more research to find out how to treat others better.”
Debbie attended a routine three-yearly breast screen at Trumpington park and ride on 24 November. An area of calcium was found on her left breast, so a biopsy was carried out and an appointment to discuss the results made on New Year’s Eve.
“I knew the moment I went into the room this was cancer. I picked up on the body language of the consultant and specialist nurse as I’ve been on that side of the fence many times. As I heard my diagnosis, I felt like I was watching myself from above as well as desperately trying to take all the information in so that I could tell my husband, Ian.”
Further testing revealed additional areas of concern, so an MRI scan and what was a fourth lot of biopsies by this point were booked for 20 January.
“This was the big mechanical failure,” said Debbie. “The scanner had broken down, so my MRI had to be rescheduled. This day was truly awful. I had a big meltdown and sobbed my heart out. I went home and just vegetated on the sofa, feeling very out of control and lost. I have no idea what I watched that afternoon on Netflix.”
Debbie eventually got the scan and biopsies the following week, but the results were indeterminate.
It was decided Debbie would have surgery on 9 February, by which time she had undergone 64 scans. The surgery involved removal of the cancer and sentinel lymph nodes, surgical biopsy of the indeterminate lesions and bilateral mammoplasties.
“I received the best news ever on 4 March - my cancer was gone! It was so good to tell Ian and the children this news. I felt exhausted, but also elated and had the best night's sleep.”
To reduce the risk of the cancer returning, Debbie underwent radiotherapy in mid-April and will take letrozole – a drug for which Cancer Research UK played a leading role in underpinning research – for the next five years.
Debbie added: “Throughout this, the care from the breast unit at Addenbrooke’s was outstanding and I felt safe and confident in the excellent care I was receiving.”
She is now looking forward to cycling the UK with Ian, beginning on 13 September, and “lots of crazy challenges” thereafter.
She continued working immediately after her diagnosis and admitted it was “very difficult”.
“There was one time I had a new patient to see. He was talking about his diagnosis and tests, and saying how hard it is to be in this situation, and I knew exactly what he was talking about as I was going through the same experience.
“After this, I went into a small office and ended up crying into my nut salad. I decided I needed to be kind to myself and spoke to my colleagues about looking after my last patient so that I could go home.
“I also then went and put tissues in the office. Dealing with the waves of emotion and feeling overwhelmed is incredibly hard and they just come out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s just a small wave and other times it’s a massive tsunami that completely engulfs you.”
Debbie, whose mum died of ovarian cancer, said “the most difficult thing” was telling her three children.
“My youngest son quizzed my husband on the way to a garage one day just to check I wasn’t going to die.”
As well as money for Cancer Research UK, she now wants to raise awareness of screening.
“I’ve had four friends who have recently also been diagnosed with breast cancer and, with a couple of them, it was because they did a proper examination and chased their screen.
“I want people to go for screening because without my mammogram I’d have had no idea - my cancer was lobular, so I probably wouldn’t have had a lump and possibly would have had diddly squat of an idea until something more serious was happening.”
Debbie will be turning 60 on 19 September, a date that will also mark her and Ian’s 35th wedding anniversary, and by “sheer fluke” the couple are due to ride through Gretna Green that day.
They will be joined by others on the ride that is being organised by the Royal College of Pathologists in celebration of its 60th anniversary.
The riders together have so far raised over £15,000, with Debbie leading the way.
Cancer Research UK spokesman for the East of England Michael Jarvis said:
“It’s brilliant to see Debbie coming through her Tour de Cancer and made even more special by her endeavour to take on this great challenge for us.
“This year also marks 20 years since Cancer Research UK formed and just as past discoveries have laid the groundwork for successful prevention, diagnosis and treatment today, so the research we fund - thanks to supporters like Debbie and everyone else who will be riding alongside her - will be at the heart of progress that saves and improves lives for generations to come.”
To sponsor Debbie go to fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/post-fc-challenge.
