New Harrogate support for people living with advanced breast cancerRipon woman to climb Yorkshire three peaks to mark one-year ‘cancerversary’

A Ripon woman is set to climb the Yorkshire three peaks this year to mark one year since her cancer diagnosis.

Loren Fidler, 31, was diagnosed with grade 3, stage 2, ER+HER2- breast cancer in May 2023.

Since that “world-shattering” day, Ms Fidler has undergone four surgeries on one breast, which ultimately led to a full mastectomy, and 14 rounds of chemotherapy.

She still requires another two more rounds of chemotherapy, as well as a bi-lateral mastectomy on her other breast.

However, she recently decided to make her “come back” exactly a year after her diagnosis by climbing the Yorkshire three peaks:

“It was a world-shattering day. I want this to be my come back a year later – a way of turning my cancer-versary around.”

Ms Fidler hopes to complete the 38.6km challenge in one day, but says she will “see how her body copes” during her training climbs.

She will be joined by her partner, who has carried her through this time, as well as her sister and her 10-year-old niece.

The mother-of-two told the Stray Ferret:

“Other than cancer (obviously), this will be the biggest challenge I have ever done.

“I’m nervous but I’m excited to see what my body can do.”

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Ms Fidler said she coped relatively well for the first six months, but added she “crashed and burned mentally” following her fourth surgery and has since faced an “uphill struggle”.

“I was quite naïve at first.

“I found the lump when I was in the shower, but I was ignorant about young cancer and had never checked my breast.

“I’d given birth a year before, so I was very lucky the doctor didn’t just attribute it to a blocked milk duct.

“After that, I sort of thought I’d just be able to have my surgery and go through chemo and that would be it – but it’s been a real mental struggle.”

Ms Fidler will tackle the three peaks in May and hopes to raise £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

She also hopes to host a raffle to boost the funds and invites any businesses that may be interested in donating prizes to contact her via her Instagram page.

She also issued a plea to Stray Ferret readers:

“Please check your breasts. Be your own hero – your own advocate.

“The sooner you find something the better, but these things don’t just go away because you’re scared.”

Ladies’ Day to boost Harrogate footballer’s cancer treatment fund

Two back-to-back football matches will be played at Harrogate Railway this weekend as part of a day of fundraising.

Ladies’ Day will see the women’s reserves play at noon on Sunday, followed by the first team facing Farsley Celtic at 2pm.

Entry will be free for spectators, with a barbecue, raffle and refreshments all on offer as part of the entertainment.

First team coach Rich Burns told the Stray Ferret:

“it’s a celebration of ladies’ football in the club and the region. We’ve gone from one football team to four in the space of two years.

“I’ve been there for 15 years and we’ve only had one senior ladies’ team and various girls’ teams. Since the Euros, where the Lionesses were successful, now the World Cup and the WSL, there’s a real growth and demand for women’s football in the region.”

As well as first and reserve teams, Railway now has an under 18s ladies’ side, offering teenagers the chance to learn, or continue learning a sport they have enjoyed at school.

Rich said it offers a natural pathway into the adult teams too.

And it is for one of the first team players that the day has been organised.

Dee Swales played for the club for around five years, before moving to Farsley Celtic. She returned two years ago, but last year was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Rich said:

“She has been undergoing significant treatment and dealt with the first part really well, but she has unfortunately developed a secondary cancer.

“The NHS doesn’t fund the treatment she needs when it’s for secondary cancer, so you have to raise funds yourself.

“She has been dong loads of stuff and fundraising, but the club really wanted to show our support for this as well.”

Setting a target of £1,000, the club said any money raised that exceeds the amount Dee needs will be split between Macmillan and Cancer Research UK.

Harrogate Railway Football ClubHarrogate Railway Football Club on Station View, Starbeck, will host the event

Dee is also planning to join in the fun on the day – though will have more reason than most to play it safe. Rich said:

“She’s a week away from being married. I think the biggest challenge is keeping her off the pitch, because [fiancee] Abi would absolutely kill us if she gets injured for the wedding!”

With women’s football much more popular than ever before, Harrogate Railway are hoping for a big crowd at the event on Sunday.

Rich added:

“Everyone’s aware of Rachel Daly and her ties to the region. She spent a small amount of time with Railway and when she came back from the US during the summers, she used to come to our training sessions.

“It has been really fantastic that the Lionesses have been offering discounted tickets to grassroots clubs.

“We’ve been able to support them a few times and we went to see them at Wembley.

“You don’t get the same level of animosity you can get at the men’s game and it does seem very family-friendly.

“Seeing 87,000 people in Wembley for a ladies’ game was fantastic – it was a celebration of football.”

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Harrogate cancer survivor urges women to check their breasts

A Harrogate breast cancer survivor is urging people to check their breasts and contact their GP with any concerns.

Annette Ward was diagnosed with breast cancer in June last year after noticing a lump and a change in the shape of her breast.

Ms Ward, 61, spoke to her GP and was referred to hospital for further tests. She was then told that she had cancer.

It was diagnosed as primary breast cancer, which meant it had not spread to other areas of her body and could be treated more easily. She had surgery to remove the lump, followed by radiotherapy.

She said:

“I feel blessed that my cancer was found early. From diagnosis to treatment, the NHS have been marvellous.

“I’m so grateful to the doctors and nurses at Harrogate District Hospital and St James’s Hospital in Leeds. They did everything they can to make sure I was treated quickly and effectively.”

Ms Ward now urges others to make sure they take part in breast screening when invited and also check for changes.

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She said:

“It’s so important to check your breasts regularly. I had my routine mammogram just over a year before I was diagnosed, and that had been clear. These things can happen very quickly, and the sooner it’s found the sooner it can be treated.

“Self-check as much as you can. If there’s anything out of the ordinary or that you’re concerned about, contact your GP and have it looked at as soon as possible.”

After treatment, Ms Ward started volunteering as a way to regain confidence and took up a role at Yorkshire Cancer Research’s Knaresborough shop.

She added:

“I thought that Yorkshire Cancer Research would be ideal. It’s my way of giving back and of saying thank you for the research they fund.”

Harrogate woman discovers she’s pregnant and has cancer within a month

A young woman from Harrogate has urged people to check themselves after finding out she was pregnant and had breast cancer within a month.

Nicky Davis, 38, found out she was pregnant with her “miracle baby” on April 14 after three failed rounds of IVF.

But exactly a month later she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer after finding a lump.

At first she thought the lump could be related to her pregnancy but it wasn’t. The cancer was in her breast and spread to the skin causing an orange peel effect.

She began chemotherapy in June when she was 11 weeks pregnant and will keep going until November before giving birth.

Nicky said:

“We’d been trying for a baby for a long time so it was an absolute miracle.

“My cancer is hormone-responsive so it’s likely I’ve always had cancerous cells but the pregnancy had a huge impact. Without the baby I may never have known, this baby basically saved my life.

“We went from the highest of highs then to the lowest of lows.”

A week ago, Nicky had a single mastectomy to remove her breast and several lymph nodes to prevent the cancer spreading.

Due to her high risk pregnancy, Nicky will be delivering her baby girl early in November. After this she will continue chemotherapy and then move onto radiotherapy.

Nicky with her husband Mark on their wedding day in August.

Despite all of this she wants to raise awareness and encourage people to check themselves regularly:

“Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care who you are or how old you are. I had no family history and I’m still young.

“Even if people set a reminder in their phones to check themselves every few weeks, it’s so so important and we all need to do it.”

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Nicky is very grateful for all the “incredible” care received at Harrogate District Hospital but said it has made her more aware of the difference is healthcare in different countries.

She is now working with her family to fundraise for Breast Cancer Support. The charity works with breast cancer patients across the world who can’t afford medication or treatment.

Her family are arranging a walk of the Harrogate Ringway, around 20 miles, in hopes of raising money for the charity. Nicky is hoping to take part in the final few miles on October 30.

To support Nicky’s fundraising, click here.