First cancer, then love

MY DIARY

First cancer then l ove...

December2014 I ’m smiling in this picture, giving the camera a thumbs up.

But inside, I’m feeling drained. Chemo will do that to you.

Being diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 26, wasn’t something that I’d ever expected.

I’d found the lump on my left breast back in October. Feeling it as I showered, I never thought for a second it would be cancer.

I’m too young , I thought.

Even my doctors

doubted it at first.

But eventually I was referred to a breast clinic.

I’d had a mammogram, biopsy and a full body scan. Knew it wasn’t looking good, though.

‘It’s cancer, isn’t it?’ I asked my nurse outright. ‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘We’re going to do all that we can for you.’

I was diagnosed with aggressive grade-3 breast cancer.

I’d needed chemo before having surgery.

So here I am, a few weeks into treatment, having lost my hair.

I’d been warned it’d happen, cut my long blonde hair into a bob in preparation.

But when I started waking up to find my pillowcase coated in hair each morning, I knew it was time to go the whole hog.

So, I got a friend to shave the lot off.

Taking control felt

good, but the chemo is making me feel really sick.

I’m exhausted but I know I need to keep on fighting. If not for me, then for my daughter, who’s 18 months. I’ve just got to keep going. July 2015 W ell, I finally got my way!

After five operations in 12 weeks, doctors finally relented and gave me a mastectomy. It’s been a long time coming and it feels good to know I was right.

But is it weird having only one breast? Of course it is! At first, doctors wanted to save as much of my boob as possible.

‘If the rest is still healthy, we’ll just take out what we need to,’ they explained.

That’s why I was initially scheduled for a lumpectomy. But when the first op didn’t work, I’d needed to have another. Then they found I still had cancer.

‘We’re going to have to do a mastectomy,’ the doctors told me. Result! Believe me, I know that probably sounds strange. Who would think having a mastectomy is a good thing?

They decided to attempt a reconstruction at the same time, too, but then that went awry. Caused a blood clot that began to travel up towards my neck.

An emergency op to remove the clot and another surgery later, here I am. Now I’ve only got the one boob and I’m hoping this is the end of it. Maybe I’ll have another attempt at reconstruction in the future?

But I haven’t decided yet. August 2016 F eeling incredible!

Not only have I been cancer free for six months, I’m standing in the middle of Iceland.

This picture was taken on day two of our three-day trek across the Golden Circle. I’m here with other cancer survivors on the trip arranged by CoppaFeel!, a breast-cancer awareness I’d been through chemo, surely I could survive online dating! Jo Turner, 31, Doncaster Inside, I’m shattered... I’m going to live life to the full

Still smiling after a mastectomy

charity. And we’ve seen waterfalls, glaciers and geysers. Spending quality time with other cancer survivors has been inspiring.

We’ve swapped stories and advice. Shared laughter and tears. Part of me never wants to leave. But tomorrow, we’re doing the final stint of the 63km trek back to Reykjavik. Being away from home has helped me to reflect on what I really want in life now.

I’m going to start living life to the fullest. This trip will be the first of many more adventures. Time spent with other cancer survivors is inspiring

to be the one for me! But then I was matched with Lewis, 24. Everything changed with him.

He didn’t care that I was divorced and had a 5-year-old daughter. And when I explained about my cancer story, he didn’t even flinch. ‘I don’t care if you’ve got one boob or three,’ he joked. Things feel so much easier with Lewis. I think we’re on to something good here. WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER, CLAIRE WILSON. PHOTOS: STEWART WILLIAMS/THE SUN/NEWS LICENSING. HOW NOT TO DATE ONLINE (WITH ONE BOOB) BY JO TURNER (£9.99, JJ MOFFS LTD) September 2019 S o, I’ve been busy... I wrote a book!

And today’s the day it goes on sale. It’s called How Not To Date Online (With One Boob) and I’ve spilled everything...

From the emotional and gruesome realities of cancer treatment. To the

hilarious highs and lows of dating with one boob. Although, I have to admit, I have been looking into going private for a reconstruction – if I decide to do it, I best start saving.

There’s even an update on me and Lewis in there...

We’re still going strong! And right at the end is an entire section dedicated to checking yourself for lumps. Looking back, my life during treatment feels surreal.

The toughest years of my life.

But putting pen to paper has been so cathartic.

I think it’s helped me finally get some closure on cancer. And maybe my book can impact someone else’s life like that. I want cancer survivors to know they’re not alone. Hopefully, another woman going through treatment can read it and be comforted, knowing I’ve been there and lived to tell the tale.

But most of all, I hope it’ll encourage women to keep checking their breasts. I found my lump by chance, but a regular check could save your life. Me and Lewis

I hope my book will help others

£600 cash!

13 15 13 11 8 22 1 24 10 17 10 18 2 10 18 26 22 16 10 26 7 6 1 10 20 9 A B C F G H J K M N O P Q R S T U V X Y Z CODE CRACKER £500 Puzzle 16 WIN D ancer Oti Mabuse has revealed that she particularly loves which food? To find out, solve the puzzle... Fill in the grid. Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number from 1 to 26. When you’ve completed the grid, the shaded squares will spell out the two-word prize answer. We’ve given you five letters to start you off.

25 16 18 6 17 8

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Your answer:

WORD JUMBLE

An artwork consisting of a piece of which fruit was sold at a gallery in Miami for $120,000, then eaten by another performance artist? Unscramble each group of letters to discover six types of fruit. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to the question.

1. TRY BY EAR 2. NOMADS 3. ENGAGE REG 4. CHEAP 5. RAN ADMIN 6. CRATE NINE

£100 Puzzle 17 WIN

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