'Vital work': Telford cancer survivor's charity call after attending dream wedding in Mexico

Donna Jones, from Telford, has issued the plea after her successful cancer treatment enabled her to see her son, Jordan, get married in Mexico this year.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2015, Donna went from organising a hectic work schedule to arranging her life around surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy sessions.

Now fit and well, the 52-year-old has just returned from her only son’s wedding in Mexico – an occasion she feared she would not live to see.

In 2015, Donna went to see her doctor about a lump she had found on her right breast, suspecting it was another cyst which she had suffered from numerous times before.

“I must have been through the same process at least eight times before – where the consultant looks at the lump then comes back into the room and tells me it’s just a cyst," she said.

"But this time he came back in with a nurse and they told me it was a solid lump and needed to be sent off for a biopsy. It was a bit of a shock.”

Two weeks later Donna went back for her results and was told she had breast cancer that was Her2 and ER positive. It had also spread to her lymphatic and vascular system.

After a lumpectomy to remove the tumour, Donna was treated with three rounds of FEC-T chemotherapy which started on her 45th birthday.

Donna said she owes her life to improved treatments– thanks in part, to the work of Cancer Research UK – and has encouraged everyone to give monthly to the charity.

The money goes towards funding long-term research projects that could drive new breakthroughs.

But monthly progress in research, means monthly donations are needed.

Donna said: “I told my husband all the way through that I only wanted two things: I wanted to see my 50th birthday and I wanted to live long enough to see my son, Jordan, get married.

"He was only 20 when I was diagnosed and he is my world, so I was determined to be there for him.

“I was very positive throughout my treatment. I carried on working whenever I could and shaved my hair off when it started falling out.

"But treatment is a kind of comfort blanket – you feel safe knowing the cancer is being dealt with.

“When it was all over, I hit a brick wall. I didn’t know how to cope and my positivity seemed to evaporate.

"I decided to get a personal trainer to get me back on track. We did running, boxing, and high intensity training."

Donna added: "My son also suggested getting a dog, so I got a Bassett hound called Honey from the Dogs Trust in Shrewsbury.

"She is gorgeous and she got me out of bed on the mornings I didn’t feel like getting up.”

Following chemotherapy, Donna was treated with Herceptin – a breast cancer drug the charity helped to develop.

Cancer Research UK led clinical trials to show that Herceptin improves survival.

Now this is the gold standard of care for this type of breast cancer, helping more women survive the disease.

Donna’s treatment finished in March 2016 after she completed a course of radiotherapy.

Since becoming cancer-free, Donna has devoted a lot of time to fundraising for cancer charities, including Cancer Research UK.

By sharing her story, she hopes to inspire others to play a part in fighting the disease, with around 33,300 people diagnosed with cancer every year in Shropshire and the West Midlands.

Having just returned from her son's wedding, Donna said: “Research into better treatments has given me more precious time with my loved ones.

"I’ve just had the most amazing time in Mexico, watching my son Jordan get married to his sweetheart, Alex – a moment I feared I would not see.

"But, special moments like these would not be possible without the dedication of scientists who are relentlessly striving towards new discoveries and milestones month after month. This vital work needs our support.”

“If I had been diagnosed with cancer ten or 20 years ago, the outcome might not have been the same for me and that’s down to research.

“By making a monthly donation to Cancer Research UK, people across Shropshire could help give hope to many more families like mine and invest in long-term research that could save lives for generations to come.”

To find out more or to make a donation visit cruk.org/donate