This Christmas, CancerCare is taking part in Big Give Week (2nd - 9th December), a national campaign that enables donations to selected charities to have twice the impact.
Morecambe resident Janet Butler turned to CancerCare after her own cancer diagnosis in 2019. Janet’s journey began in May 2018 when she noticed changes in her breast. An initial doctor’s visit reassured her that the changes were just a symptom of aging. Eight months later, Janet insisted her case be escalated and she was diagnosed with primary breast cancer.
“I was fit and healthy, running a successful Pilates business with not a single ache or pain,” said Janet. “I was immediately told I’d need a mastectomy, as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was mortified and felt like my life was over. I was told, though, that after 12 months of treatment my life would return to normal, so I felt hopeful.”
However, further tests revealed that Janet had secondary breast cancer; the cancer had spread to her liver. It was classified as treatable but not curable. She had to give up her business, underwent a mastectomy and surgery to remove lymph nodes, followed by radiotherapy and was put on medication that caused severe side effects, resulting in eight A&E visits due to toxicity.
“I’ve always been a positive, grateful, happy person, full of life,” Janet said. “But this experience nearly destroyed me. I had panic attacks, major anxiety and didn’t want to leave the house. My hair was falling out. I felt frail, vulnerable and like a shadow of my former self.”
CancerCare: welcoming, friendly and nurturing
Janet immediately referred herself to CancerCare, accessing one-to-one counselling with Samreen and hypnotherapy with David at CancerCare’s Slynedales Centre in Lancaster. She continues to benefit from the charity’s hydrotherapy service at 3-1-5 Health Club.
“The support and help from CancerCare was just what I needed,” Janet explained. “It’s so reassuring that this service is free and on my doorstep. The support helped me come to terms with a terminal diagnosis. CancerCare is understanding, welcoming, friendly and nurturing. It’s a safe space where I feel cared for, a true lifeline.”
Janet’s health remained stable for six years until liver reconstruction surgery in June 2023, which required a 40-day hospital stay and three further operations due to complications. Despite this, there was no evidence of cancer, and Janet focused on “living her best life,” though fatigue and anxiety remained a challenge.
Devastatingly, in August 2025, Janet learned that the cancer had returned in her liver.
“I’ve had to change treatment,” she said. “I am eligible for two new targeted therapies, which I feel grateful for. It’s been a difficult time, deciding which treatment is best. Whatever path I choose, the drugs will give me months, not years, of life. It’s a frightening disease to live with. I’m coping through Pilates, gratitude, meditation, healing and homeopathy. This experience has affected my family greatly; my husband had to retire due to my appointments. Thankfully, I’ve had people around me the whole time. I’ve also recently been blessed with a new grandson.”
Janet has bravely spoken out publicly about her diagnosis in the hope of providing comfort to others.
“Initially, I felt like I was in a black hole and kept being pushed back in as soon as I started to climb out; it was horrific,” she said. “But I’ve learnt to live with it now and have found peace, a journey aided by CancerCare’s support. I do live and enjoy life when I’m not too unwell. You’ll always see me with a bright smile. While there are times of pain and depression, I try to think positively. My future is not guaranteed, but I can now accept this.”
CancerCare’s team will do whatever it takes to make things easier for patients and their families, but as a local charity, we rely on donations for over 90% of our income. That’s we need your help with our Big Give Christmas Challenge, which will see donations doubled and your support go twice as far!
Thanks to the Reed Foundation and several generous CancerCare supporters, donations made to our Big Give Christmas Challenge webpage between 2nd and 9th December will be doubled!
By donating during this week, you can make double the difference and help us be there for anyone in our local community who finds themselves coping with cancer, life-shortening illness or bereavement.
Please Note: Only donations made to our dedicated Big Give website will be eligible for doubling.