And Then Came Breast Cancer - A Future Dreams Podcast

Dawn Butler is the Labour MP for Brent Central and became the first elected African-Caribbean woman to become a government minister in the UK. Dawn arrived in Westminster via work on a market stall, a family-owned bakery ,and as a computer programmer. She also has breast cancer and was diagnosed last year, during Covid. She has decided for the very first time, to share her story with presenter Vic...

When you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, your friends will play a big part in how you deal with the treatment and emotions that follow. It could be a voice at the end of a phone in the middle of the night or a ready-made meal hand-delivered to your door, but the strength and support of your mates will mean a lot. But of course, some friends don’t know what to say, and go quiet. In this episode, V...

Being diagnosed with Breast Cancer is frightening enough, but imagine getting that distressing news when you are in your 20s? In this episode, host Victoria Derbyshire talks to women who were given the news when their adult life had only just begun. Brought to you by the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, "And Then Came Breast Cancer" is for everyone whose lives have been touched by the disease....

This special edition of the podcast comes from The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, where every single day, work is going on to get to the day in the future, when breast cancer is no more. Host Victoria Derbyshire visits Professor Clare Isacke and her team of scientists in the lab she runs, doing vital work to give people with breast...

How frank should you be with your kids when you need to tell them that you have breast cancer? What words should you use or avoid? It’s a tough conversation to deal with especially when you are learning to cope yourself with a diagnosis. Victoria talks to three women - with children of different ages - who have had to break the news of - and help them through - their own breast cancer experie...

A woman’s relationship with her body changes after a breast cancer diagnosis - and the same goes for the bra she wears - during, and after treatment. A good bra can boost your confidence at a difficult time when perhaps you feel your body doesn’t look the same. In this episode, Victoria gets expert advice from women about the different kinds of bras that are available in all shapes and sizes, and...

For many women, a breast cancer diagnosis can mean long and gruelling rounds of chemo and radio therapy, on top of an operation. It can be a grim routine but for those who come through it, how do you cope when the treatment stops? When it’s all over? Do you feel elated? Or deflated? In this episode, Victoria talks to three women who share their tips and advice on how they managed to deal with that...

Getting a breast cancer diagnosis is for many women the beginning of a gruelling journey that thankfully ends with a doctor telling them that after all the treatment, they are now cancer-free. It is a moment of great joy and relief, but for some of those women, they then have to deal with the almost daily fear that it might come back. This episode brings Victoria together with women who share thei...

When you receive a breast cancer diagnosis, the decision on who to share the news with is a very personal one, and some women choose not to tell anyone at all. In this special episode to launch the second series - recorded at the Future Dreams House- Victoria talks with a group of women , including the actor Elizabeth Hurley and TV presenter Sian Williams, on the decisions they and others mad...

How do you feel about your breasts- and how does a cancer diagnosis change those feelings? Victoria Derbyshire talks to four women whose bodies have been changed by surgery and treatment. How much does it go to the heart of a woman's body image, their femininity and self-confidence? Brought to you by the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, "And Then Came Breast Cancer" is for everyone whose lives...

How important is faith in helping you through your breast cancer journey? In this episode Victoria Derbyshire talks to women who have religious beliefs- and one who doesn't- to hear how their convictions were challenged -and perhaps strengthened- by a breast cancer diagnosis.  Brought to you by the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, "And Then Came Breast Cancer" is for everyone whose l...

The Future Dreams charity was founded in 2008 by mother and daughter Sylvie Henry and Danielle Leslie. These two extraordinary women lost their lives to breast cancer but were determined to leave a legacy that no woman should ever have to go through the illness alone. In this special episode, Victoria talks to some of the people who knew Danielle and Sylvie the best, and hears that their story is...

How does a breast cancer diagnosis affect your work? Will you be treated sympathetically or seen as a "problem"? In this episode, Victoria talks to three women about their jobs- and how they handled them before, during, and after treatment. A QC gives advice on what happens when your boss isn't as compassionate as they should be- and what action you can take. Brought to you by the Future Dreams Br...

How does having treatment for breast cancer affect your chances of having children? For some women sadly it means the end of their chances of motherhood, but in this episode, Victoria speaks to women who found ways to overcome fertility issues after their diagnosis- including IVF or surrogacy.  Brought to you by the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, "And Then Came Breast Cancer" is fo...

The vast majority of breast cancer diagnoses are given to women- but in around 1 in 100 cases, it's a man who's being told they have it. In this episode, Victoria talks to one of the 350 men each year in Britain that happens to.  Brought to you by the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, "And Then Came Breast Cancer" is for everyone whose lives have been touched by the disease. If you would l...

How do you cope when you are told that your breast cancer has come back? Victoria talks with three women who are facing that situation right now. They offer practical advice based on their own experiences and demonstrate that many people are a lot stronger than they think. Brought to you by the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, "And Then Came Breast Cancer" is for everyone whose lives have been...

The benefits of exercise on our lives are well documented. But how can even a gentle fitness regime help people recovering from breast cancer? How soon can you go back to the sports you were doing pre-diagnosis ? And what about those women who- for whatever reason- feel they can't do much physical exertion? Four women- including British Olympian Donna Fraser discuss all these points with host...

What does having breast cancer mean for your mental health? In this episode, Victoria Derbyshire is with three women- Shevelle, Carly and Saskia- who speak frankly about the personal and psychological challenges that followed their diagnosis. Some women say they have emerged from their cancer "journey" feeling mentally stronger, while others found they needed as much support for what was...

What happens when you've been diagnosed with breast cancer- but some people in your community choose to deal with it with prejudice and disinformation? In this episode, three women talk to Victoria about the different reactions they received from their neighbours, and their nearest and dearest- and how they weren't always helpful or understanding. The answer, as we hear in this edition, is for mor...

How do you deal with having breast cancer when you can't hug anyone because of Covid? In this edition of "And Then Came Breast Cancer" Abbie, Carla, and Corinne join host Victoria Derbyshire to talk about facing hospital visits alone and trying to get help when the NHS is coping with the pandemic. If having breast cancer wasn't frightening enough, women have faced delays in diagnosis and longer wa...

The deeply personal relationship women have with their hair is discussed in this episode of "And Then Came Breast Cancer". Host Victoria Derbyshire talks to Nicky, Nicole and Natasha about how they dealt with the effect chemotherapy had on their hair, and she gets advice from cold cap expert Claire Paxman. They talk about the psychological trauma of facing up to hair loss and Victoria reveals that...

What are the changes in your body you should be looking out for to find out if you have breast cancer? In this episode of "And Then Came Breast Cancer", host Victoria Derbyshire talks to Merlene and Amanda about the awful moment they first realised they had the disease and there's practical advice from clinical nurse specialist Bernie Phelan. Former Eastenders actor Jessica Plummer joins the women...

'And Then Came Breast Cancer' is a podcast series created by Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, for anyone whose lives have been touched by the disease. Hosted by the award-winning journalist Victoria Derbyshire - herself a breast cancer survivor - each episode discusses an aspect of the cancer journey, from how to spot the first signs, to dealing with the aftermath of treatment a...