Amanda Jones, 55, from Wimborne, was diagnosed with incurable secondary breast cancer in 2013 and will take on the arduous trek along the UNESCO World Heritage site in September to raise money for CoppaFeel!.
“This trek will be a huge challenge for me,” she said.
“We will be walking approximately 40km over the five days, tackling different sections of the wall, climbing steep staircases to reach the highest watchtowers, climbing over 1,000 stairs on some sections.
“It is going to be tough going but I’m hoping the support of the group, including the trek leader Giovanna Fletcher and other celebrity captains, will help me to keep going.”
Amanda first noticed a dry patch of skin on her nipple that would not heal in 2013 and went to her GP before being referred to a breast clinic for a biopsy.
She said it was the “biggest shock” when she learnt it was breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy to remove her nipple and the surrounding tumour, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy and hormone treatment to stop the cancer returning.
Then 42, she tried to move on and focus on raising her children, who were aged five, nine and 11 at the time.
However, she suffered chronic back pain for more than 18 months, which was repeatedly misdiagnosed as muscular pain.
“I spent months going backwards and forwards to my doctor’s surgery begging them to take me seriously and just kept being fobbed off with more painkillers,” she said.
After finally getting a scan, she was immediately admitted to hospital when it revealed spinal cord compression caused by a tumour on her spine.
“I could have been paralysed at any time,” she added.
Amanda had metal rods inserted and cement injected into her spine to stabilise it, while coming to terms with the fact that her breast cancer had returned and spread to her bones, meaning it was treatable but no longer curable.
With her children then aged 13, 16 and 18, Amanda also discovered she carries the faulty BRCA2 gene, meaning her children each have a 50/50 chance of inheriting it. The mutation significantly increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
“My three children are the reason I am so passionate about the work that CoppaFeel! do in educating young people to become aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, encourage them to check their chests and empower them to contact their GP and advocate for themselves if something doesn’t seem right,” she said.
“Early diagnosis can save lives. I live with pain in my back every single day and the side effects of the medication I have to take every day which are thankfully keeping my cancer stable at the moment.”
Amanda needs to raise £4,000 for the trek so CoppaFeel! can continue its “amazing” work and is organising other events, including paint and Prosecco evenings, second-hand book sales and afternoon teas. More information can be found on Amanda’s JustGiving page.
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