A BANK manager battling cancer for 18 months is excited to be celebrating Christmas.
Kirsty Snape was just 31 when she was diagnosed with stage 2, grade 3 breast cancer in July 2022.
A year ago, she was dealing with side-effects from gruelling treatment.
Kirsty, from Cheshire, had to avoid people due to her weakened immune system, but this year she will be enjoying some quality time with her family and friends.
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After an incredibly demanding 18 months, she has been given the all-clear but will continue on medication and check-ups every six months.
Kirsty said: “The medication is for the next 10 years and something I’ll have to come off when I’m allowed to have a baby, if that’s possible.
“Children is something that my partner Mat and I would love to have.”
Kirsty is a patient at The Christie hospital in Manchester and has dealt with a challenging treatment journey, including six rounds of intensive chemotherapy, ovary removal, a double mastectomy with reconstructions and full lymph node removal, followed by 15 rounds of radiotherapy.
“Throughout treatment I just kept thinking it is what it is, I can’t change anything so there is no point in me feeling down about it,” she said.
“Don’t get me wrong, I had my bad days, but overall, I kept positive.
“I had no idea if the treatment would work, but the half-way scan showed it was, thankfully.
“I got the results back in February this year.”
Kirsty’s positive spirit and resilience has not only helped her navigate through tough treatment times but has also given her the motivation to give back to the institution that helped to save her life.
She signed up for The Christie Challenge, a year-long fundraising mission involving six different activities.
Completing each challenge and raising £60 or more earns her a piece of a medal, with all six pieces combining to create a rainbow Christie embrace.
The most recent challenge saw Kirsty tackling a 10K run in the wet and muddy grounds of Tatton Park in November with partner Mathew Robertson and a group of close friends and family.
Despite the difficulties, her determination shone through.
Kirsty said: "The 10K was definitely not easy for me but after the last 18 months, I know that anything is possible if I put my mind to it.
“I wanted to give something back to the hospital.
“Until you need it, you don’t realise just how amazing it really is.
“Everyone was always so upbeat, which must be so hard to do with the things they see every day.
“I never had a day there when I wasn’t smiling or laughing.
“They were all like friends and got me through the hardest of days.”
To support the work of The Christie Charity visit christie.nhs.uk or call 0161 446 3988.
Kirsty’s life-changing treatment hasn’t stopped her from doing the things she loves.
She enjoys travelling and getting away with her partner whenever possible, but for now Kirsty is looking forward to spending Christmas with her family, friends and ‘three crazy cats’ Murphy, Minnie and Merlin.
Anna McIntosh, corporate development manager at The Christie Charity said: “Kirsty is an inspiration and we’re so thankful for her fantastic fundraising efforts.
“We wish her luck for completing the rest of The Christie Challenge.”
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