Fiona Watson from Moray: How I'm living with cancer and walking to fight it
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Fiona Watson, a former nurse from Elgin, is fighting cancer.
This Saturday she'll be in Edinburgh to take part in The MoonWalk Scotland, which will see walkers complete the course while wearing decorated bras and colourful 'bra t-shirts'.
This charity event has long been one of the UK's most successful in raising money to help people living with cancer.
Here, Fiona, a 56-year-old mum-of-two, tells her own story.
"I’ve been on constant treatment for secondary breast cancer since 2014.
"By taking part in this year’s MoonWalk Scotland, I want to raise awareness that you can still live a very full life.
"Treatment has come on so far over the years, thanks to wonderful charities like Walk the Walk. I now want to give something back.
"I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. I was 40 and my two sons Lewie and Keir were only 11 and eight-years-old.
"I discovered a lump in my breast while applying some fake tan.
"I’d always been quite blasé about checking myself – I was young, had breastfed both my boys and had no family history of breast cancer.
"My treatment including a lumpectomy, followed by 25 radiotherapy sessions.
"I then took the hormone therapy Tamoxifen for five years.
"My husband Bryan and myself were very honest with our boys throughout. They always knew when I was due to have a scan and what was going on with my treatment – the whole family was hugely supportive.
"Life then returned to normal until 2014, when I was training for a local 10K running event.
"I started getting such bad back pain that it felt like my vertebrae were hitting each other.
"My pain eased after the event was over but then, one day, I was playing with one of my sons and felt even worse pain in my collarbone.
"I had bone scan, which revealed that my breast cancer had spread to my collarbone, my spine and a spot on my rib. It was a horrible shock, finding out that the cancer had metastasized to other places in my body.
"I was put back on Tamoxifen.
"Lockdown was very challenging, having to shield because I was so susceptible to infection.
"I’d worked as an NHS staff nurse for many years and was given official medical retirement in summer 2020.
"For a while I shielded on my own in my father-in-law’s house as he was stuck in New Zealand.
"My husband and son Lewie used to visit and we’d all sit in the garden. My other son Keir was in lockdown at university in Edinburgh.
"I filled my time doing a Joe Wicks workout most mornings and going for a two to three mile walk every day. I also painted comical highland cows, which I raffled to raise money for local charities.
"I really benefited from the distraction which painting gave me and just tried to keep as physically fit as my health situation allowed – I’m also a type 1 diabetic, which can complicate things further.
"Since 2014, I’ve been on a series of different drugs and treatments, to manage my secondary breast cancer. Each treatment works for a period of time, before it becomes less effective and I move onto something else.
"I'd been on oral chemotherapy but in April 2022, I had my first IV chemotherapy treatment – I used a scalp cooling machine during my chemo and had virtually no hair loss, which made a huge difference to me.
"Walk the Walk granted three scalp coolers to Dr Gray’s Hospital in April 2009 and I was pleased to see they are still in use.
"I told one of the nurses that I felt quite vain using the scalp cooler – however, she reassured me that using the machine to keep some of my hair was something which I could at least have a little control over.
"In February this year I had a nasty infection, and was given a CT scan, which revealed that unfortunately my cancer had progressed once again.
"I’m now on my sixth line of treatment, which is a new type of chemo. Hair loss is unpredictable when using a cold cap – it can depend on what chemo you are on – but I have chosen to continue with it to help keep as much hair as possible. I had a lot of hair previously, so people tell me that my hair loss isn’t as noticeable as it might be!
"It’s been reassuring to know how many different treatment programmes are available nowadays, even if your cancer has spread, like mine. I’ve been on the same drug now since April this year and my oncologist feels that it’s working well, so I’m carrying on with it for now.
"I’ve always wanted to take part in The MoonWalk Scotland to give something back for all the amazing treatment I’ve received.
"I mentioned it to my friends Moira, Odette and Alison and we’ve all signed up for the Half Moon (13.1 miles). Because of my treatment, we decided that the Full Moon (26.2 miles) was a bit too much. Moira has been treated for breast cancer too, back in 2018.
I’m really enjoying doing my training and my cancer definitely isn’t holding me back – I walk a lot anyway. One of my recent walks took me to a day hospice in Elgin, where I was attending a craft class. It’s about a mile and a half from my house, which gave me the chance to work on my speed.
"As a family, we’re all just trying to get on with life and fitting in as much as possible – we recently got a puppy called Eddie and he’s so much fun to have around and lifts everyone’s spirits.
"I’m going to spinning classes too and, what with the goal of completing The MoonWalk ahead of me, all my activities feel very holistic.
"I get particular pleasure from helping others in a similar situation to me. I contacted Scamp & Dude and they donated 100 scarves to Spey Unit at Dr Gray’s where I attend my chemo.
"I would encourage everyone in a similar situation to speak up for what you want to do with your life and then make it happen.
"It is possible to lead a fulfilling life, especially with so many incredible advances in treatment. I’ve been living with secondary breast cancer for more than nine years now and am very much proof of that."
Walk the Walk has raised £139 million since 1998, when Nina Barough CBE created the first MoonWalk in London.
The MoonWalk Scotland followed in 2006.
Almost £22 million has now been raised in Scotland alone.
Amongst the many grants provided by Walk the Walk has been funding to allow Cancer Support Scotland to make hundreds of online counselling appointments and wellbeing calls.
The charity has also supported Maggie’s Cancer Centres in Scotland.
In addition it has granted funds to NHS hospitals and Trusts to purchase scalp cooling equipment, helping cancer patients to keep their hair whilst undergoing chemotherapy.
The MoonWalk Scotland starts and finishes at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh this weekend.
Support Fiona and her friends HERE
Find out more at www.walkthewalk.org
