Feature


downsmail.co.uk Cancer bale ‘is teamwork’


WITH her 40th birthday approaching, big-hearted businesswoman Rachel Curley decided to set herself 40 big challenges – including raising cash for those charities closest to her heart. Having lost three close friends to


cancer and raised funds for Cancer Research in the past, Rachel’s plan was to split the money she raised be- tween Cancer Research and the Heart of Kent Hospice, which cares for the terminally ill. But Rachel’s plans went rapidly


awry when she herself was diag- nosed with grade three breast cancer at the end of February. With five months to go before her milestone birthday, Rachel’s family and friends rallied round to tackle the challenges instead – and have al- ready raised more than £1,200. After four bouts of surgery in- cluding a mastectomy, Rachel, from Lees Road,Yalding, resigned herself to just one major challenge – to get well. She said: “I wasn’t looking for-


ward to being 40, but now I can’t wait. I’m even looking forward to being 50!” Rachel, who runsweb design and


vinyl sign company Dizrat in Yald- ing, aswell as theVillage Tearooms, first discovered a lump in her breast in October last year and went into hospital on February 18, to have the suspected cyst removed. Aweek later, she learned the shell- shocking news that she had grade 3, triple negative, aggressive breast cancer – one of the rarer forms of cancer found in just 15-20% of cases. She said: “It’s strange. I never once dreamed I had cancer, just a pesky cyst. It was only when doctors re- moved the lump they discovered the cancer lurking in thewall lining. “I bounded in to see my surgeon,


the lovely Sue Jones at The Somer- field Hospital, aweek after my ‘cyst removal’, took one look at her face and thought NO.” Despite her natural optimism tak-


ing a bashing, Rachel soon put a pos- itive spin on her situation. “There is something about hearing the word cancer. In an instant, life


Team Curley


ON July 9, “Team Curley” compris- ing Hannah, plus local women So- phie Cooper, Karen Astbury, Amanda Bray and Amanda Aldrich, took part in a 5K Race for Life. It was hoped that if Rachel was


well enough following chemother- apy two days previously, she would be able to take part. On July 10, “Curley’s Crawlers” –


a group of Rachel’s old school pals, plus Hannah for her second day in a row–were due to take part in the PrettyMuddy 5K at Mote Park.


30 Malling July 2016 Rachel Curley during chemotherapy and right, after climbing the Gherkin in London for the NSPCC last year


“I’ve had to learn to do what I can, when I can, and if I’m not about one of my team takes control…”


changes for you and everyone you love and care for and who loves and cares for you.” Rachel has been undergoing chemotherapy and lost her hair at the end of March. She said: “Treatment isn’t fun. It’s


hard going, but we take what it throws at us as it’s better than the al- ternatives.” She is now waiting to hear if she


has the BRCA2 gene, which can greatly increase a woman's chance of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. (It was the reason Angelina Jolie had preventative breast and ovarian cancer surgery.) “If I have, it will mean more sur-


gery, but hey, if it saves your life, who am I to argue?” she said. “The chances of me doing any


Races for Life this year are slim, but I will if I can. In the meantime, a group of friends are doing them for me.”


Hannah White and Lottie Barnden


set the ball rolling by taking part in the Paddock Wood half marathon and on June 5, Louise Massett was due to abseil down Maidstone’s Midhurst Court, in place of Rachel, to raise yet more funds for Cancer Research. Rachel said: “I still considermyself


lucky. I ambeing cared for by some amazing people - Sue Jones, my on-


cologist Dr Russell Burcombe and some very amazing chemotherapy nurses, not forgettingmybreast care specialist Anna Matthews and the amazing Frances Skinner.” In Yalding, where she is a church-


warden and edits the parish maga- zine, Rachel is also grateful for all the support she has received. “It would be impossible for me to


thank everyone. I’ve received more bouquets of flowers in three months than in 39 years,well over 150 cards of love and support and weekly packets of ginger nut biscuits land on my doorstep (a must for any chemo patient)! “But I have to thank my friend Hannah, who has been by my side for every hospital and surgery ap- pointment and helped guide me with the tough decisions I had to make after my diagnosis. “Also my ‘chemo buddy’ Sophie Cooper, for taking me to each treat- ment and watching as the nurses pump more and more poison into my body. “And to my amazing mum Pam, brother Christopher, and sister-in- law Jackie – I have no words to do justice to their love and support and their constant care.” Rachel took on the role of market-


ing director for theYalding Farmer’s Market just before her diagnosis and


wanted to fulfil her promise to get a new website, Facebook and Twitter page up and running. She has also managed to stay at


the helm of her web design and vinyl sign business in Marden. She said: “I’ve had to learn to do


what I can,whenI can, and if I’m not about, one ofmyteam takes control. “I was very sick after the first chemo, but the hospital sorted anti- sickness out reallywell. “The hardest thing is fatigue and I


feel constantly exhausted. There’s a wholenewlevel of tiredness that I've never experienced. “I'm still in a state of disbelief and


shock, but one thing I know, we have to keep raising money for Can- cer Research UK, as I know first- hand how it helps.” Rachel’s chemotherapy is due to


finish in July, and will then be fol- lowed by a course of radiotherapy. With her birthday approaching on


August 16, that certainlywas not the plan she had in mind for her mile- stone year. “For now, we wait and see what


the future holds,” she said. “Let’s just say, I can’t wait to hit my 40th. Even my 50th birthday now doesn’t scare me – bring it on!”


Jane Shotliff


How to help Anyone whowants to donate a raffle prize can email Rachel on rachel@dizrat.com and do- nate via Just Giving www.just- giving.com/fundraising/rachel curley2016


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