Giving hope to those affected
by secondary breast cancer
Research. Support. Education.
Giving hope to those affected
by secondary breast cancer
24th February 2021 Trials
Feb 28th 2019 - was diagnosed with stage 3 ER+ breast cancer.
March 13th 2019 - was told it had spread to my bones and possibly liver.
The BAhead trial, headed by Dr Michelle Harvie. (though it shuts down in March due to covid)
It's the Mediterranean diet 5 days a week, and 2 days there's an 800 calorie limit. In addition to this, there are regular exercises which can be done at home.
The premise is that women on chemo gain weight and lose muscle mass. This trial is supposed to help women keep weight under control, prevent the loss of muscle mass. The fasting is also supposed to help women tolerate the chemo better and improve the effectiveness of the chemo too.
I was on a call with the breast care nurse just after my diagnosis and before any of my treatment started. I was explaining to the nurse that I actually felt OK despite the diagnosis because I'd started the fast 800 diet and was looking at keto and had made a number of immediate changes. The nurse suggested that I might be a good candidate for the trial. I met Dr Sasha at The Christie and said that I was already planning on doing the diet so may as well document it for the greater good. As luck would have it, I was selected to be in the group I wanted.
Had you heard of it in advance, did you research it or was it mentioned to you?
it was mentioned to me. I was freshly diagnosed, I hadn't had chance to explore any trial options
Despite my chemo finishing August 2019, I have stayed on the trial. Every 3 weeks I get a call with Dr Michelle regarding my wellbeing and diet and I also get a call from a physiotherapist. I keep a diary of all my food and activities and submit it just before my call. I'll be honest, I'm not so strict with the exercises any more, I've integrated most of the exercises into my daily routine (I brush my teeth on tip toe!) But I work out about 6 times a week.
It's great to have this resource to tap into, if I've got any questions, concerns etc - they're always there for me.
Nothing
No
What are your thoughts on the importance of trials and research?
Vital - particularly this one! It's just good healthy living.
I'm actually shocked by the number of women who refuse to look at their diet and lifestyle with a cancer diagnosis. In fact, I remember, when I was diagnosed, the surgeon even said to me " if I wanted a piece of cake, I should just have one"
For more information on this trial, please click here: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-trial-looking-at-exercise-and-healthy-eating-for-women-with-breast-cancer#undefined
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