BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: County Derry woman’s cancer journey inspired her to set up support group

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month but for some women living with cancer and overcoming it is a lifelong battle. 

Portstewart woman and co-founder of Friends of Cancer Causeway Coast Joanne Adams is one of these women. 

In June 2017 Joanne was diagnosed with breast cancer and not long after underwent surgery in August 2017. 

For Joanne that meant a single mastectomy without reconstruction and six rounds of chemotherapy. The extensive treatment began in September 2017 and ended in January 2018. Following this there were 15 rounds of radiotherapy, with treatment finally coming to an end in February 2018. As stands, Joanne is currently on hormonal treatment for another three years.

“Treatment has left me with neuropathy in hand and feet, damaged nerve ending in my bowel, full surgical induced  menopause and pains daily from radiotherapy,” said Joanne. 

“I was taking the hormone injection Zoladex to shut my ovaries down but by 2020 my body had enough and started rejecting these. I was sick all the time. So due to that and having different cancers within both sides of my parents family I asked for a double mastectomy in June 2017. I underwent a full hysterectomy and had the healthy breast removed too as preventative measures more than anything.” 

Her tough journey led Joanne to co-found Cancer Friends of Causeway Coast.

“When my treatment finished in 2018, I felt very alone with no support in my area and decided something good needed to happen out of my awful situation so I decided to set up a support group. After I had some counselling and talking to my close friend Lyn, who agreed to support me in this, we formed Breast Friends Causeway Coast in October 2018.

“Since then we have grown in numbers and so when we were lucky enough to secure our own premises with the generosity of Shay Donley running an ultra marathon to raise funds, we rebranded with the opening of our premises in 2024 as Cancer Friends Causeway Coast. Now we are based in Coleraine and open five days a week.” 

Talking about how much the group means to her Joanne said:  “I love that we have this hub, it's given me a sense of belonging again as I was lost after cancer. I didn't recognise myself, unable to work, unable to do things I used to be able to do and trying to cope with the mental side of things a cancer diagnosis can do to a person. The hub has been a blessing in disguise. I've made new friendships for life and by providing services for others I also get to avail of these whilst helping others. 

“I have my walls up and don't ever think I'll fully accept what cancer has done to me , the life it's taken away from me but on my bad days I'm with people that understand how I'm feeling, they understand the emotional, physical and mental scars I face daily, even eight years on. But I am here, I'm living and I'm helping others and learning every day.

“Cancer Friends Causeway Coast has a fantastic team of volunteers and without them Lyn and I wouldn't be able to do half the stuff we do. We are so lucky we have a community of guests that come in to help our group members from all over NI.”

To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year Cancer Friends of Causeway Coast members have participated in an empowering photoshoot. “We try to be different each year,” continued Joanne. 

ABOVE: Beautiful art on a woman's body for Cancer Friends of Causeway shoot for Breast Cancer Awareness

“The whole pink and fluffy awareness is not us. We live with this daily and no amount of pink is going to make it better. Breast cancer isn't just in the month of October it's every month. Our photoshoot this year is real women trying to live a new normal life after a diagnosis, surgery, and treatment. Our photographer Laura was just amazing. Our ladies had their scars on show, some had their bodies painted by my talented niece Sasha. It will raise awareness on how cancer can affect you and your body but also how an amazing group of women can be encouraging and inspiring towards one another.”

ABOVE: Some more stunning art on a woman's body for Cancer Friends of Causeway shoot for Breast Cancer Awareness

For more information on the group and the support it offers, visit cancerfriendscausewaycoast.com