I have been sent details about attending the Younger Womens forum in Cambridge March 14th/15th but am so unsure of myself andmy feeling sta the moment as it seems like only yesterday i was diagnosed (it was actually xmas time just gone) and wondered if anyone else was going or has been to a previous one so as to advise me what to expect as I want to find out more about it all but it will obviously mean going on my own and stuff and that means leaving my security blanket of Hubby and kids for the first time since diagnosis which will be hard but maybe necessary, any feedback would be great…
Please!
Hi Lolabelle
I have just been to the younger women’s forum in Birmingham and I also had the same concerns. I was diagnosed in September and I wondered if it was too soon to attend after just finishing my chemo.
I’m so glad that I did, it was informative, I met people who knew what we were going through. I wont deny that i cried a few times throughout the weekend but this was because I needed to. I am struggling to come to terms with things mentally and am going to see a counsellor this week, the younger women’s forum helped me to identify this and now i’m looking forward to taking some positive steps to help me try to re-build a little.
I would definately go and glad that I did.
Take care
Mel x x x
Thanks for responding - i guess i really would like to wait until one nearer as travelling for a few hours meansthat i have to stay the night befor ein cambridge also so that means leaving my baby for 2 nights and being alone with my thoughts in a hotel room for 2 nights as opposed to just one if it was in the south east somewhere. I know it will benefit me as i’ve had two lots of surgery and am due to start chemo in a few weeks and i have a lot of questions that quite frankly my breast care answers but sometimes its all so sugar coated and i need facts and maybe to finally make it more real. I do want to go but i know if i wait for a more local one it will be a while away and its right now i’m in a prime place for answers.
Counselling doesn’t sound such a bad idea…I really hope you benefit from it, had some for a previous badtime in my life and it does help a lot to really get it all out as its so easy to hide behind a forced smile sometimes x
Hi Lolabelle
I am hoping to go to Cambridge too, but like you have to really think about leaving my two girls and hubby . It would have to be for 3 nights for me as I would be travelling from the south west, and there are no linking trains on the Saturday evening. I went to the Healthy Living Day in London recently and just about coped with one night away from home, so I know where you’re coming from It isn’t easy. I do feel that it was worth it though. “Me” time, as they all say is v important, but not always easy to find, especially with others who have similar/different stories and understand all the emotional ups and downs. Only you can decide what is good for you, but just so that you know, you won’t be on your own
Good luck x
Thanks for responding as you sound in a similar posiition to myself and having to do 3 nights is even harder. I never get ‘me’ time and to be honest i think being away from my security blanket may bring out all my fears but better out than in they say and better to be around people who understand my journey I guess. I need to know more and waiting for a more local one may be too late as i am in the state of mind now to find outr more and more importantly I want to find out more now before i start chemo and rads etc. Just been diagnosed Triple Neg also so a very confusing time for me…
Hello Melanie Its Anna from the birmingham forum!!! It was cool wasnt it!!! it was emotional but a right laugh as well!!! I would definately recommend it. just seeing other woman with bold heads or as in mels case the same wig as mine was mind blowing!!!
The best bit for me was being told it was ok to tell people your FINE , mel will know what i mean
Hie Lolabelle
I am 32 yeas old and was diagnoised in Ocotber 2007, had a mastectomy and complete axillary node clearance . Currently on cycle 5 of chemo (FEC).
Took diagnosis really hard, a lot of anger issues especially with my local hospital (delayed referral and diagnosis) did not want to have anything to do with my local hospital felt completley let down. Started this year determined that I was going to be ME again. Didn’t recognise myself with all the anger and sadness. Started to see a counsellor, talked and cried buckets and feel I am ready to move on. Have accepted whats happened/happening to me, realise that I have to keep on living, have a 4 year old that I absloutley adore.
I went to a Haven retreat day, the first time ever where I had the opportunity to meet women of all different ages talking about their experiences. It was such a relief to reialise that I am not alone on this journey; that they are other women who are also undertaking journey’s of their own with Breast cancer. It was one of the most positive things that i have done since my diagnosis. The ages of the women ranged from 27 - 70 years and they all had such personal stories to tell and it felt so good to hear other women say out loud what I have been shouting inside.
Went to a healthy living day last week in London, met a different group of women and again it was so uplifting to be able share my experiences and offer a little reassurance to other women who have been newly diaignoised and about to start their journey, it made me appreciate just how far I have come through my experiences. I will be starting Radiotherapy soon, so found it extremley useful to hear first hand from women who have actually gone through it and they gave me loads of useful tips and information and bucket loads of reassurance that I can do this.
From these 2 groups I have met some really lovely people that i keep in touch with and even though its early days i feel I can call on when I need someone to talk to and understand what I am going through.
And yes I am going to Cambridge, and really looking forward to it. Please don’t beat yourself up about leaving your little ones behind, I am sure you will come back home having experienced a truely uplifiting and inspiring moment.
Hugs
Heather
Hi!
I went to the younger women’s forum last weekend in Birmingham and found it absolutely brilliant. I was diagnosed 3 years ago, and although had been sent information about them before only just felt ready (and brave!) enough to go. There were women there in all stages of treatment; some still having chemotherapy, others radiotherapy, and a few like me who had finished some while ago. It really was the best thing I have done in a long while; but I knew it was the right time for me to go. I definitely couldn’t have gone just after diagnosis, but that’s just me. I would definitely advise going to one when you feel you can.
Lots of love
Su xx
Hi
Im going to the cambridge forum, ive just signed up to it. Ive never been to a healthy living day or this forum thing but after just been diagnosed with secondaries i need a little extra support from others and meet others in the same situation. When i wad first diagnosed i didnt want to talk to anyone else and was abit niave about the whole situation. But now i need this support, there is so much i still dont know and want to find out.
Im also going on a healthy living day on friday, am really looking forward to it!! talk about doing things all at once!
If you plan to go to the forum i’ll be there!
Hema
xx
Hi all! Also going to the forum in Cambridge & looking forward to it immensely.Heather, was good to meet you in London last week, hope all is going ok. See you soon!!
Cheers
Mand x
Hi,
Just thought I’d add in my bit. I’m Nadiya and also going to Cambridge next week and arriving on the Thursday.
Looking forward to meeting you all there and sharing some laughs and tears (hopefully over a glass of wine) 
x
Hi everyone
I’m planning to go to forum arriving Friday morning so will look forward to meeting you all there!
Hannah x
Hi Lolabelle
I’m 40, but have two small children, am I too old to ocome along?
I got my diagnosis on 13th feb, so not even a month ago, but think this could be a really positive step for me.
Can anyone send me details, or similar, or am I too late?
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca
You are not too old to come to this event at all. If you would like to find our a bit more then go to breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=10800
on this site.
Best wishes
Ann
Hi Rebecca… you will not be the oldest I am 44! ( ancient!!!) Hope you can make it!
Nadiya I will be arriving Thurs eve too, so see you there.
Look forward to seeing everyne
Mand xx
Has anyone been to the healthy living days? I am considering going to the one in portsmouth on 20th. What are they like? Cambridge forum is a bit too far away for me to travel to. I would love to meet up with some of you ladies as feeling lonely at the mo. DX 14th feb, day after Rebecca so thinking along similiar lines about the positive stepofjoining in and meeting others with BC would do for me
Rachaelxx
Hi Rachy
Sorry to hear you’re feeling lonely and I’m sure if you met some other ladies in a similar situation to yourself you’d feel a whole lot better. I went to a healthy living day in Luton just over a week ago and it was really lovely. I’m not sure how many more are being run because I think after April they aren’t doing them anymore. I believe there is a young women’s forum taking place in Bournemouth in June time which I’ve put my name down for. Have you tried the Look Good Feel Better workshops? They’re great fun and you get an amazing goodie bag to take away with you filled with make up and other nice stuff.
Ruby xxx
Hi everyone,
It looks as though this time I’m going to be giving it a miss.
Thursday I’m listed for my second FEC, and I daren’t consider being that far from home, especially as I’d have to travel by public transport on my own
Another time for sure though …
ENJOY! Rebecca
HI everyone - my first chemo has been booked for the 1st day of the Cambrdige forum thingy so i’ve had to pull out 
- put my name down for the Reading one in October so looking forward to it and your comments were all so helpful!!!
x