CHRISTMAS certainly didn’t come early for Julie Roberts when she was told she had terminal breast cancer on December 24 2010 – with a prognosis that she had less than 12 months to live!
“It was like someone taking a baseball bat and beating me up with it,” said 48-year-old Julie, who has battled with her demons and come to terms with “living with cancer.”
Having already lost her grand mother and mother to the disease, as well as her partner Steve, when aged 56 to kidney cancer, she was well used to dealing with the emotions.
Meeting Julie you wouldn’t know that she was ill, let alone terminally ill.
Working as a counsellor and her previous experiences have certainly helped with her positive outlook on life – drawing up a “bucket list” of “things I want to do before I die.”
Top of her wish list was to write a book – which she has now done with “Don’t cancel my newspapers yet!” set to be published in June.
“When I was diagnosed as being terminally ill I searched for information on how to deal with it – and couldn’t find anything.
“My book is about my own experiences and things that you need to do and think about, including a bucket list of things to do before you kick it!”
Another item on her list was living long enough to see her son Mike, aged 28, get married and provide her with a grand child – which has now also been achieved.
“One thing I have realised is that I have to put myself first before anything else,” added Julie, from Old Hall, Warrington.
She is still undergoing regular chemotherapy and taking 22 tablets a day but remains positive and continues to keep herself busy running her counselling business and doing voluntary work for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity.
“I am doing my bit educating women on the ‘Touch, look, check’ campaign raising awareness about the disease.
“There are many different forms of breast cancer and only a small percentage is hereditary. Although my grand mother and mother both had the disease, the type of breast cancer I developed was totally unrelated – it was just a coincidence.
“Most breast cancers are caused by unhealthy lifestyles and being over weight, drinking too much alcohol and being inactive. If you lead an unhealthy lifestyle you are stacking up your potential of developing breast cancer.
“ I am not fighting my cancer – I am living with it. I know I can’t beat it but I want to be happy with my life and co-exist with it – which I am doing in harmony at the moment!”
You can follow Julie’s progress on twitter @WITCHCOACH or on face book at Jules Roberts or via the website www.positivewomen.co.uk
More information on breast cancer awareness can be found at www.breakthroughbreastcancercheshire.co.uk
1 Comment
Not long ago Julie helped through a very difficult time, for which I will always be grateful. I had no idea she was ill untill i saw this article a couple of days ago; you really hid it well Julie, you are a stong and remarkable women and i hope you achieve everything on your bucket list. Many, Many thanks xx