A local woman who survived breast cancer at 39 is preparing to take on a 26-mile hike across the Peak District to raise awareness of early detection and support CoppaFeel!, the UK’s only youth-focused breast cancer awareness charity.
Beth is taking on the marathon-distance hike with her friend, Anita, on 9th May 2026. For these women, it’s a deeply personal mission following Beth’s breast cancer diagnosis in 2022.
She explained the motivation behind the challenge:
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 39, so although I wasn’t super young, it wasn’t something I thought would happen to me at that age – you aren’t even offered a mammogram until you are 50. Early detection can save lives, and although my treatment was life-saving, it was also very intensive. I lost my breast, my hair, my body changed completely, and if we can do something to help prevent others from going through that, then we would walk a marathon every week!”
Diagnosed in November 2022, she underwent a mastectomy and immediate reconstruction in a complex seven-hour operation, followed by chemotherapy, further surgery and radiotherapy.
Following treatment, she began rebuilding her strength and confidence with the support of Life Leisure.
“Going through cancer treatment is really difficult. It makes you feel powerless and weak. I was determined that I’d get back to full strength as soon as possible, so I joined Life Leisure to try to regain my fitness and confidence. I started small with swimming and walking on the treadmill, and then moved on to yoga and Pilates. My body had been through a lot, and the instructors gave me the tools and confidence to take the class at my own level. I couldn’t even sit upright without support after my operation, so it was absolutely amazing when I did my first sit-up!”
Now on hormone therapy, which has triggered a medically induced menopause and increased her risk of osteoporosis, she has embraced strength training to support her recovery.
“I needed lots of weight-bearing exercises to maintain strength, so with the support of my friend Tamsin, we joined the women’s weightlifting course [Strongher] at Life Leisure. It was completely empowering, and we’ve continued with weight training, going to the gym three times a week.”
The challenge is not only a personal milestone but also a call to action for others to support CoppaFeel!’s mission to educate, encourage and empower young people to check their bodies and detect breast cancer early.
She is now calling on the local community to support her challenge, raise awareness, and help more people understand the importance of early detection.
To support Beth’s fundraiser or find out more, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/bethandneet2026
And keep an eye out for Beth and Anita training around Stockport in their conversation-starting ‘boob caps’!
