Blog

Next month sees the launch of one of our new fundraising challenges: Abseiling the Falkirk Wheel! Lianne from the Make 2nds Count Fundraising Team will be taking part in this epic challenge to raise money to help support secondary breast cancer patients.

We recently caught up with one of our ambassadors Marette, who's husband has signed up to take part in the London Marathon in April. We wanted to know a bit about Marette and why her husband has choose to fundraise for Make 2nds Count.

SBC & ME Date of Diagnosis: 13/04/2021 Current Treatment Line: Palbociclib, denosumab, zoladex, apixaban, letrozole How Does SBC Affect Your Life: The cancer is in my bones and I had a proximal femoral endoprosthetic replacement (replacement of hip socket and femur) walking is difficult and the distance is limited. I still work full time as it provides my normality and a distraction from the cancer world of hospital appointments and scans.

Aromatase inhibitors are a class of drugs that can be used to treat hormone receptor-positive (HR+) subtypes of breast cancer1. Aromatase inhibitors can be used in the treatment of early HR+ breast cancer, but here we will focus on aromatase inhibitors in treating secondary (metastatic, advanced) breast cancer.

Make 2nds Count have had an incredible year of fundraising in 2023. As we look back at some of the amazing fundraising events we would like to thank all our supporters for all events big and small and for making it the year that it was.

What a busy year it has been in Research! Since welcoming our new Research Manager, Dr Sarah Thomas, we have completed our first research grant awarded by the charity, announced our largest ever grant and launched our first open call for research proposals to kick off in 2024.

We've had an incredibly exciting and busy year for our support services as they continue to grow and meet the needs of the community. In 2023 we have delivered: 106 attendees at our 2nds Together wellbeing retreats 12 Tea & A Chat groups around the UK 1300 '2nds Together' private group members 432 littlelift boxes sent 334 Little Book of Admin sent 348 Birdsong yoga attendees Our first event of 2023 was the online 'Wellbeing Week' in February with the focus on Menopause and its impact on those living with secondary breast cancer.

This year clinical trials was a key area of focus for our Education programmes, helping people living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer to access the information they need to explore the option of clinical trials as part of their treatment pathway. Our Patient Trials Advocate service has really taken off this year!

SBC & ME Date of Diagnosis: 23/05/2023 Current Treatment Line: Current on 7th cycle of Nab paclitaxel and Phesgo. How Does SBC Affect Your Life: Was diagnosed with breast cancer the day before giving birth in May.

In 2019 Make 2nds Count awarded it's first research grant to Dr Olga Oikonomidou, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Leader of The University of Edinburgh Breast Cancer Translational Research Group at the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre. This grant was used to fund a 3-year post-doctoral researcher post, held by Dr Fiona Semple within Dr Oikonomidou's team.

I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer (also known as metastatic, stage 4 or advanced breast cancer) in the summer of 2022. I found a lump in my breast but unfortunately, after many, many tests and scans, we discovered it had already spread to my bones.

SBC & ME Date of Diagnosis: 05/04/2023 Current Treatment Line: I am currently on my first treatment line. I have just finished 6 rounds of chemotherapy (Docetaxel) which I had every 3 weeks.

The Advanced Breast Cancer International Consensus Conference in Lisbon takes place once every 2 years. It brings together medical experts from all over the world to share best practice in treating advanced and secondary breast cancer.

SBC & ME Date of Diagnosis: 04/08/2022 Current Treatment Line: Ribociclib, Letrozole and Denusomab. I started my treatment journey on weekly chemo called paclitaxel which worked really well to reduce and get the cancer under control.

SBC & ME Date of Diagnosis: 27/09/2022 Current Treatment Line: I am taking daily bisphosphonates (Ibandronic acid), oestrogen blocker (Aromasin) and targeted therapy (Ribociclib). How does SBC affect your life?: I am 63 and my life has totally changed due to secondary breast cancer.