0:00:03 > 0:00:07One of the things I love about us Brits is our spirit of generosity.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10If I can give back to somebody who had a similar struggle to my own,
0:00:10 > 0:00:12then that's what I'd like to do.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Last year nearly three-quarters of us gave to charity.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18But what if you had the chance
0:00:18 > 0:00:21to go back and relive moments from your past?
0:00:21 > 0:00:23I wish I was 18 again!
0:00:24 > 0:00:28- I'm expecting Mum and Dad to walk out now and say hello. You know?- Yeah.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Moments which would inspire you to want to help someone today.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34I want to give back to those people that are going through that,
0:00:34 > 0:00:35that I went through in the beginning.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38If I can give something to somebody else that would change their lives,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- I'd really love to.- Fantastic.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Someone who had no idea this life-changing windfall was coming.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48I've got, potentially, her dream in my hand.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- How are you feeling?- Nervous.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53There'll be surprises...
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- How are you?- Good.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Thank you so much.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Thank you.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03With acts of generosity that will change people's lives...
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- I'm really excited. - We're all crying.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- Do you need a hug as well? - Yeah, thanks.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11..forever.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12That's brilliant.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Somebody that just does that for people, it's just amazing, it really is.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18This is Going Back Giving Back.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33I'm in West Yorkshire to hear the truly moving story
0:01:33 > 0:01:35of an inspirational mother.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Six years ago, her world was turned upside down,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and it's this experience that's driving her
0:01:40 > 0:01:41to help somebody else today.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45We'll discover how she suddenly found herself facing
0:01:45 > 0:01:47the greatest challenge of her life.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Having just had a little girl, thinking how can this be
0:01:51 > 0:01:53happening to me at this moment in time?
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Could taking her back to the place that gave her hope
0:01:56 > 0:01:58inspire her to help someone else?
0:01:58 > 0:01:59- How you doing?- Fine, yeah.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03For me, the experiences I had here were life-changing, really.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07And the suspense mounts, as we prepare for a huge surprise.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10- She has no idea.- We'll be drowning in the lake at this rate!
0:02:10 > 0:02:11Here we go.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15With a special gift for one incredibly deserving young woman.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18It is an emotional thing that I've been through,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22and for someone to reach out and do that for me is a beautiful thing.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25It really choked me up.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35When the woman I'm about to meet was diagnosed
0:02:35 > 0:02:37with a life-threatening illness
0:02:37 > 0:02:40she gave up her job in the city to launch her own company,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43to help those in a similar situation to her own.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44She is phenomenal,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47and I can't wait to hear her motivational story.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Today 39-year-old Amanda
0:02:49 > 0:02:53runs her own successful organic skincare company,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56but she was once a head-hunter in a large recruitment company.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Six years ago, Amanda was on maternity leave
0:02:59 > 0:03:02from her job in the city, when her world was rocked
0:03:02 > 0:03:04by some devastating news.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09- Hello.- Hello.- How are you? - Nice to meet you, OK, thank you.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11- Really nice to meet you.- Come in, come in.- Thank you very much.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14- Lovely house you've got. - Oh, thank you.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- It's lovely to see you.- And you, and you, thank you for coming.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19It's a pleasure. Who says it's never sunny in Yorkshire?
0:03:19 > 0:03:23- I know, a beautiful day today. - Amazing spot, as well.- Thank you.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26So go on, then, what's motivating you to give something back today?
0:03:26 > 0:03:32So, six years ago, when I was 33, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36They found out it was starting to spread through my body.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38I'd just had a little girl in January,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40the diagnosis was in the June.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Amanda's daughter was just six months old.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Instead of enjoying these first few months as a new mum,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Amanda was suddenly faced with the prospect
0:03:50 > 0:03:52of not seeing her little girl grow up.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56And I found very much
0:03:56 > 0:04:00that having a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 33,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04I felt extremely isolated, in that most of the people I knew that were
0:04:04 > 0:04:09going through breast cancer tended to be that little bit older.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12It wasn't the easiest time of my life.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- Understatement of the year. - Yeah.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Amanda underwent surgery
0:04:17 > 0:04:20and months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23The treatment may have saved her life,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26but it left her physically and mentally exhausted.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30I had a little girl to look after, so I didn't really have
0:04:30 > 0:04:33the opportunity to stop, I had to get on with life,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and despite the fact there were times
0:04:35 > 0:04:37when I was going through the chemotherapy
0:04:37 > 0:04:39that it was hard to pick my head up from the pillow.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43But then Amanda received more bad news.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Doctors discovered she'd inherited a genetic fault
0:04:46 > 0:04:51in a crucial gene called BRCA1, which repairs damaged cells.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53This meant there was a serious chance
0:04:53 > 0:04:55she'd develop cancer again in the future.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59If she wanted to reduce the chances of that happening,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02she would have to make the life-changing decision
0:05:02 > 0:05:06to have her breasts and ovaries removed.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09That must have been such a tough decision to make, though?
0:05:09 > 0:05:13It was. I thought, how could I live with myself
0:05:13 > 0:05:15if I don't do something about it and the cancer comes back?
0:05:15 > 0:05:18How do I explain to my little girl, "Mummy knew what she was doing,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20"she chose not to do anything about it
0:05:20 > 0:05:22"and now she's got cancer again"?
0:05:24 > 0:05:26It was an agonising decision.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Although she bravely decided to have the surgery,
0:05:29 > 0:05:34Amanda and her husband James had hoped to extend their family,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37but now their little girl Myla would never have a brother or sister.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44That was six years ago.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Amanda's now fully recovered and enjoys an active family life.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52She even takes part in physically demanding challenges
0:05:52 > 0:05:56to raise money to help other women with breast cancer.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00So yeah, had quite a few operations over the past few years,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04but now fit and healthy and back to a normal me.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08And how supported did you feel throughout all this?
0:06:08 > 0:06:11I was lucky to have an amazing group of friends
0:06:11 > 0:06:14that massively supported me. There were times they'd turn up at my door
0:06:14 > 0:06:15and they'd pick up my little girl
0:06:15 > 0:06:17and say we're taking her off for the day,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20you can't look after her, you need the help.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23My parents and my in-laws were around at the time,
0:06:23 > 0:06:24and they helped out.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27And it's this help you want to offer somebody else then, is it?
0:06:27 > 0:06:29If I could offer somebody that support,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31I would love to be able to do so.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Well, listen, in order for you to give something back,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36we need to go back, so I've got the car outside.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- Fancy a little trip? - OK, let's do it.- Good.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46We're hoping that by taking Amanda on a trip into her past,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49it will revive memories of her journey back to well-being,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51and help her make the massive decision
0:06:51 > 0:06:54of how she might be able to help somebody else today.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59So go on, then, first things first.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- Have you got any idea where we're going?- No.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06We're taking Amanda back to a place that was key to her recovery.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08It's bound to remind her
0:07:08 > 0:07:11of the moments when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I had the mammogram, I had the biopsy there,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18and they said to me there and then in the room when I was by myself,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20"We're 90% certain you've got cancer, but come back on Friday
0:07:20 > 0:07:23"and we'll tell you the severity of the situation."
0:07:23 > 0:07:25What goes through your mind when someone tells you that?
0:07:25 > 0:07:27I can't begin to imagine.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31I think I felt numb at the time.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33I didn't really...
0:07:35 > 0:07:37I didn't really know what to do.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39I was completely shocked by the situation
0:07:39 > 0:07:41of having just had a little girl,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45thinking how could this be happening to me at this moment in time?
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Typically, Amanda's first thoughts weren't for herself
0:07:48 > 0:07:49but for her husband,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53who'd lost a much-loved aunt to the disease the previous year.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I drove home from the appointment in the hospital thinking,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00how do I possibly explain this to him?
0:08:00 > 0:08:03I remember walking in the door and thinking I can't tell him.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05But he's been a massive support.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10He's very positive and he's helped me through it absolutely massively,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12so I'm really, really lucky to have him.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Talking about the cancer being diagnosed and treated,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20the way it's treated has changed so much during the years.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Yeah, it has, and I think as far as cancers go,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28breast cancer's one they seem to... it seems to be much more treatable.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30It's a much better survival rate now.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34The treatment of cancer has been revolutionised
0:08:34 > 0:08:36since the Second World War.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Doctors have learned to use combinations of chemicals
0:08:39 > 0:08:42to attack the disease through chemotherapy,
0:08:42 > 0:08:47and technologies like ultrasound have helped them detect many more tumours.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48These developments have helped cut
0:08:48 > 0:08:51the number of deaths from breast cancer in the UK
0:08:51 > 0:08:55by almost a third since the early 1970s.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58But even the diagnosis of you having the gene,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02I would imagine, back in the old days,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05that that wouldn't be possible.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07No, it's only over the past ten years
0:09:07 > 0:09:10they've been able to detect that faulty gene.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12I suppose it was a time bomb in the old days, wasn't it?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Yeah, definitely.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17In the last 30 years, scientists have improved
0:09:17 > 0:09:20their ability to combat cancer even further,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22thanks to advances in genetics.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26They can now pinpoint specific genetic mutations
0:09:26 > 0:09:28like the one Amanda has inherited,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31which makes the body more susceptible to cancer.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34This understanding has helped save the lives
0:09:34 > 0:09:37of countless women like Amanda.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39When you go through something like you've gone through,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42does it make you kind of look at life in a different way?
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Completely, yeah, yeah.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48I think it just puts a perspective on life for you,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52and makes you appreciate what you've got.
0:09:52 > 0:09:53It's changed my life, really.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I used to work 60, 70 hours a week in a big recruitment company
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and I thought, what am I doing to myself?
0:09:59 > 0:10:01I'm dropping my daughter off at nursery at 7am,
0:10:01 > 0:10:06I'm picking her up at 7pm, I'm missing out on her growing up.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Daughter Myla has been a great support to her mother,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14particularly when things were at their very toughest.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18In a cruel twist of fate, when Amanda was being treated for cancer,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22both her mother and father were also suffering from the disease,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26and all three were being treated in the same hospital.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30I always remember a time when...
0:10:30 > 0:10:35I think it was two days before I was going in for my mastectomy operation
0:10:35 > 0:10:39and my mother was in hospital, having had a seizure,
0:10:39 > 0:10:44my father was in hospital, about to have bowel cancer surgery...
0:10:44 > 0:10:46- What?- And I said goodbye to my mum,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48I wheeled my dad into the bowel cancer surgery
0:10:48 > 0:10:51and I was having a bit of a word with myself,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54thinking hold it together, hold it together.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57My dad started crying. I thought I can't cry for him,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59I'll stay strong and tell him it's going to be OK.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Then I went to pick my daughter up from nursery
0:11:01 > 0:11:04and I could feel myself getting a little bit tearful.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07So when I got home, I sat down and said to Myla,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Mummy's just feeling a little bit tearful,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12but you just be the best girl you can possibly be
0:11:12 > 0:11:15and we'll get through what we've got to get through.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16She went upstairs into her bedroom,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19got her little comfort blanket, got her dummy,
0:11:19 > 0:11:20put her comfort blanket on my shoulder,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24put her dummy in my mouth and said, "It's OK, Mummy, it's OK, Mummy",
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- and that was when she must've been maybe 20 months old.- Gosh.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- So she knew.- She picked up on it, didn't she?- Yeah, exactly.- Wow.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41We've brought Amanda back to the place
0:11:41 > 0:11:45that was a lifeline to her when she had cancer, The Haven in Leeds.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48The chemotherapy Amanda received in hospital saved her life,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51but it also took a heavy toll on her.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54What helped her get through it all was knowing
0:11:54 > 0:11:57when things were really tough, she could escape to this sanctuary.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The centre aims to create a calming environment
0:12:00 > 0:12:04that allows women like Amanda to get some much needed TLC.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Could coming back here today inspire her to make a big difference
0:12:08 > 0:12:10in someone else's life?
0:12:13 > 0:12:14So what's it like being back?
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Ooh, happy memories, sad times, but happy memories.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21A place that made me feel better.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- Yes, exactly.- So nice to be back, nice to be back.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26I don't know, I expected it to look like a hospital
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- but it doesn't at all. - No, to me, walking in,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33it felt like a peace sanctuary, just calm and relaxed
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and a place that you'd walk out of
0:12:36 > 0:12:39feeling a better woman than you walked in.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41So tell me a bit about what they did to you.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44To me they offered a range of alternative therapies.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46I had shiatsu massage,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49which was amazing and I felt physically better.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Hypnotherapy, which focused my mind and I'll always remember
0:12:52 > 0:12:56the lady I saw saying, I can't do much about the situation I'm in,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59but I can do something about my attitude and my mood towards it.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01So I used to wake up every day and think, choose your mood,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- and that was instilled in me by the hypnotherapist.- Gosh.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07And whilst you were having your treatments here,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09you were also going through chemotherapy at the same time?
0:13:09 > 0:13:11I would make an appointment to come here
0:13:11 > 0:13:13a week after each chemotherapy session,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16as I knew that week would be an absolutely horrible week.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Cancer can very easily consume you,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21but having something to look forward to,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24in coming here and knowing what a difference it would make to how I felt,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26it was a brilliant place to come to.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- How amazing. Can we go in? - Let's go in, yes.- Let's do it.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33We're are about to reacquaint Amanda
0:13:33 > 0:13:36with someone she hasn't seen in a while.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39- You probably recognise that lady. - Hello, Deborah, how are you?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- Hi, Amanda.- Nice to see you again. - You look amazing.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Thank you very much, and you.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- Nice to see you.- And you, I'm Deborah, the manager here.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Thanks so much for having us.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- She speaks very highly of this place.- Good, good.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- Fantastic place. - What was she like when she was here?
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- A bit nervous first time we met, I think I can safely say.- Yeah.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Things were not good, were they?
0:13:56 > 0:13:59You were just about to embark on chemotherapy,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- so a really tough time. But, er... - But came through the other side.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- Yeah.- Yes, looking fantastic.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07It feels, the minute you come in,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10- it feels so welcoming. - Yeah, we've tried to make it
0:14:10 > 0:14:13as nonclinical as possible, so people do feel really relaxed.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16What we hope is that they feel very safe and supported,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18because we do only deal with breast cancer here.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21- Amazing. Can we have a look around? - You certainly can.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- Go on, you lead the way. - My pleasure.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28For Amanda, this place was a lifeline,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31a chance for her to escape the anxiety, stress
0:14:31 > 0:14:35and the often overwhelming thoughts she had when dealing with cancer.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- This is lovely.- Yeah, I remember it well, sitting in this chair,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- having my hypnotherapy. - Oh, really?- Yeah, happy memories.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45- How many rooms like this have you got then?- Seven.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47- Seven?- Seven individual rooms.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51And you do the whole massages and everything like that as well?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Yeah, aromatherapy, reiki, reflexology, shiatsu.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56That's what you were talking about, wasn't it, shiatsu?
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Yes, which was fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02I had no idea what shiatsu massage was when you recommended it to me,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04but it really, really helped me.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08Physically it wasn't what I anticipated at all, to be honest.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10I thought if it's a form of massage I'll be having these nice
0:15:10 > 0:15:16oils and having a nice, relaxing rub of some sort, but it was using
0:15:16 > 0:15:19the pressure points to alleviate problem areas in your body.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21- Gosh.- It worked massively for me.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Yes, it's really good for side effects of the chemotherapy
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- and the radiotherapy. - Right.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Deborah, thanks so much for letting us in here and giving us a guided tour.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31We're going to carry on looking, if that's all right?
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- OK. Pleasure. Lovely to see you. - Thank you. Great to see you again. See you later.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37- We'll go downstairs.- Perfect, OK.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40- There might be a little surprise for you there.- OK.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Taking Amanda on this journey has clearly sparked memories of
0:15:44 > 0:15:48the help and support she received when she needed it most.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54I'm hoping it will also focus her mind on how she might be able
0:15:54 > 0:15:56to help someone else in a similar situation today.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Coming up, our team has been on the case looking for
0:16:00 > 0:16:04a young mother whose life has also been affected by breast cancer,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06and we think we've found her.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09She's a mum of two,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and like Amanda was also in her 30s when she was diagnosed.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15She thinks we're making a programme about the condition.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18She has no idea that she could be in for a special gift.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29'But first, we've got another surprise for Amanda.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32'We're about to reunite her with someone she hasn't seen for
0:16:32 > 0:16:33'many years.'
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Do you remember that lady?- Hello! - Christine.- How are you?
0:16:36 > 0:16:40- I'm well, thank you. How are you? - I'm good, thank you.- Nice to see you.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42- And you, how are you doing? - Fine, yeah.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44You two haven't seen each other for ages, have you?
0:16:44 > 0:16:48- No, six years, almost.- Six years, gosh! It is, yes, six and a half years.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53- You look extremely well.- So do you, too.- Thank you, getting there.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55One of the things the centre does is give women
0:16:55 > 0:16:58a chance to talk to other women in the same situation.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03'Christine also had breast cancer and came here for support,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05'which is where she met Amanda.'
0:17:05 > 0:17:08- This is the room that you first met? - We did.- It is, yes.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11- On induction day. - Yeah. God, time flies.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14- How were you feeling back then? - A little worried.- Yeah.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- We didn't know what was coming, did we?- Yeah.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22- But we had a great experience.- Yeah, exactly.- A life-changing experience.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- Exactly.- Really?- Yes, all the therapies, and it just gives you
0:17:26 > 0:17:31so much confidence and it's nice to be with ladies who have been through
0:17:31 > 0:17:35the same things you've been through, and to share the experiences.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Yes, I think that's what makes the difference, isn't it?
0:17:37 > 0:17:40You feel like you're the only person going through what you're
0:17:40 > 0:17:43going through, and then you come into a room here and realise
0:17:43 > 0:17:46actually there's other people going through exactly what you're going through.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- That's right, yes.- It just makes it that bit easier, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52I remember very clearly sitting in that chair, listening to the
0:17:52 > 0:17:55stories of the other ladies in the room and everything they were
0:17:55 > 0:17:58going through, the diagnosis, the treatment, and it just really
0:17:58 > 0:18:02hit home, the difficulties of each individual in the room, and
0:18:02 > 0:18:06despite the fact we all had breast cancer, each person sitting here
0:18:06 > 0:18:10had their own story and their own problems, their own difficulties.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13When Amanda was at her lowest ebb, it was coming here and
0:18:13 > 0:18:17sharing her experience with other women affected by breast cancer,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21like Christine, that gave her the strength to carry on.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26How do you feel coming back in here?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Relieved to be six years on from it,
0:18:28 > 0:18:35but at the same time it just feels calm and relaxed and peaceful.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39- It seems like this place in a way sets you up for the future?- It does.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43- And not to dwell on the past too much?- Yes, exactly.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46It's an opportunity to move away from cancer and help you feel
0:18:46 > 0:18:48a lot better, isn't it?
0:18:48 > 0:18:49Confidence, yeah.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51The hospitals help to fix you,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55but for me, the experiences I had here were life-changing, really.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59- And also made you change your whole career plan?- It did, yeah.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02I left my busy job as a director of a recruitment business and
0:19:02 > 0:19:06set up a natural organic skincare company, which I now run from home.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09It gives me the flexibility to work my own hours and spend more time
0:19:09 > 0:19:10with my little girl.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- That's amazing, isn't it? - It is, yes.
0:19:13 > 0:19:14- That a place can do that.- Yes.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17So coming back here, to a place where you were so happy,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21at a time when you were experiencing such difficulty, has it reinforced
0:19:21 > 0:19:24in you that desire, that you want to give something back to someone?
0:19:24 > 0:19:26It has, yeah.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Six years on now, I'm a different person to what I was then.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32I'm stronger and fitter and if I can help somebody to move on with
0:19:32 > 0:19:34their life and help put cancer behind them,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36then I'd love the opportunity to do that.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38I'll leave you to it because I know you've got loads to catch up
0:19:38 > 0:19:40with and I'll see you soon.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- OK.- Nice to meet you. - See you later. Bye.- Bye.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Bringing Amanda on this journey into her past has reminded her of
0:19:48 > 0:19:53the terrible dilemma she faced after being diagnosed with cancer.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55I thought, how could I live with myself if I don't do
0:19:55 > 0:19:57something about it and the cancer comes back?
0:19:57 > 0:19:59How do I explain to my little girl?
0:19:59 > 0:20:04When we knew what she was doing, she chose not to do anything about it and now she's got cancer again.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08It also sparked happier memories of the love and support her
0:20:08 > 0:20:10family gave her when she needed it most.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Got her little comfort blanket.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Got her dummy and put her comfort blanket on my shoulder,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17put her dummy in my mouth and said, "It's OK, Mummy."
0:20:17 > 0:20:20And most importantly, it's helped focus Amanda's mind on what
0:20:20 > 0:20:23she can do to give something back today.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I had a lot of people around me to help look after
0:20:26 > 0:20:29me and to support me and if I could offer somebody that support,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31I would love to be able to do so.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Amanda is such an amazing person.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Being diagnosed with breast cancer so young made her feel isolated.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Well, this place made her realise she's not alone.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47It also helped her remain positive about life and now she wants
0:20:47 > 0:20:50to give back and help someone in a similar situation.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52We think we've found someone who fits the bill.
0:20:59 > 0:21:0437-year-old Taylor is a single mum living in Sheffield with her two children.
0:21:04 > 0:21:0612-year-old Jasmine and Jack, who's 10.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Come on, Jack, you can roll.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- You've got to go in front.- I've got to go in front.- Yay, I get escape.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Last year Taylor's world was turned upside down when she was
0:21:16 > 0:21:18diagnosed with breast cancer.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Two, three, four.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24It's been an incredibly tough time for Taylor.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Like Amanda, she's undergone extensive treatment and is
0:21:30 > 0:21:32currently in remission but it's still early days in her
0:21:32 > 0:21:35recovery and she's struggling with the after-effects of all the
0:21:35 > 0:21:38medication and treatments she has received.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Taylor thinks we're making a programme about living with cancer.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49She has no idea of the real reason behind Amanda's visit or that
0:21:49 > 0:21:51she could be in for a surprise gift.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57Could meeting Taylor inspire Amanda to give something back?
0:21:57 > 0:21:59I'm excited to meet her. Really excited to meet her.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03Hoping that I can find out a little bit more about her experiences of
0:22:03 > 0:22:06going through breast cancer as a young mum,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09see if there's any similarities between my own situation and
0:22:09 > 0:22:13hopefully help her to go forward and put cancer behind her.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- Hiya, nice to meet you. I'm Amanda. How are you?- Lovely to meet you.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26- I'm fine, thank you.- Hello, how are you? What's your name?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29- My name is Jack.- Hi, Jack.- Jasmine. - Hi, Jasmine. Nice to meet you.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Do you want to come in?
0:22:31 > 0:22:32As a single mum,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Taylor has worked hard to raise Jasmine and Jack on her own.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39They in turn have been a great support to their mother over
0:22:39 > 0:22:41the past 18 months.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Taylor's illness has had a massive impact, not just on her,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48but on the whole family.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51- So, shall we go and have a little chat?- Yeah, that'd be great.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55- Do you guys want to go upstairs? - Yeah.- See you in a minute.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00So, it's great to meet you then, Taylor.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Tell me a little bit about your story and what you've been through.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Well, it was in 2015.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11I was in the shower and I leant over and I felt this drawing pain
0:23:11 > 0:23:17in my right breast so I had a bit of an examine and I was really
0:23:17 > 0:23:22shocked to find this lump in my breast, so off I went to the
0:23:22 > 0:23:26GP and within two weeks, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32- Gosh. Scary times.- Very. I was really, really shocked.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Telling your young children you have a life-threatening illness is
0:23:37 > 0:23:40one of the hardest things a young mother can face,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42but it was something Taylor had to do.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46And how old were your children at the time, then?
0:23:46 > 0:23:53- My daughter was 11 and my son was 9. - Gosh.- Yes. I was all right in that moment when they were telling me.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58I felt that distancing effect. I was watching myself a bit.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- Like an out-of-body experience. - That's it. I think you understand.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Yes, I do.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08But it wasn't until I thought about telling my children that it
0:24:08 > 0:24:09really, really hit me.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- I got quite upset.- I'm not surprised, yeah, yeah.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Coming back to tell them was really hard.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20To treat the cancer, Taylor underwent a mastectomy
0:24:20 > 0:24:25followed by a course of aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27To experience all that was tough enough but the chemotherapy
0:24:27 > 0:24:31also damaged her heart and in her already weakened state,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35she suffered heart failure, leaving her in a critical condition.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40Taylor, whose life revolves around caring for her children
0:24:40 > 0:24:43suddenly found that she was the one who now needed looking after.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49I was very, very poorly. My mum and dad were up here looking after me.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Couldn't do a lot for myself with showering and dressing and
0:24:53 > 0:24:56cooking and cleaning and taking care of the kids, which was really,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58really difficult.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03- Yeah, I can imagine.- Not to be like a proper mum to them was really hard.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06And how did you find the radiotherapy, then?
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Just going in every day was very tiring and time-consuming
0:25:10 > 0:25:15and waiting but, I mean, they were all really lovely, I have to say.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Thankfully, Taylor is getting stronger
0:25:18 > 0:25:21but even today she is in constant pain.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23I've still got quite a lot of side-effects from the treatment,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27because of the heart condition and I've got some nerve pain
0:25:27 > 0:25:31so I walk with a stick but I have pain issues
0:25:31 > 0:25:34but that can be controlled with medication.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Fatigue is something else. It's something I really struggle with
0:25:38 > 0:25:41but I do feel that I'm moving on.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45- It's just taking time. - I remember someone saying
0:25:45 > 0:25:48to me, "It's a marathon, not a sprint." So just take your time,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52take each day as it comes and plod on.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Yeah, I feel like I won't ever be
0:25:54 > 0:25:57the same person I was before breast cancer
0:25:57 > 0:26:01but that doesn't mean to say that I'm less of a person
0:26:01 > 0:26:04than I was or a worse person than I was.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07In some ways I'm a lot better, I think...
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Makes you stronger in some ways.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Yeah, from what I've learned from the experience.
0:26:12 > 0:26:1718 months after Taylor's original diagnosis,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19her cancer is now in remission.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24However, the disease still casts a huge shadow over her life.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29- And how are you feeling now? - I feel like pieces of the puzzle
0:26:29 > 0:26:35are starting to fall back into place but there are some things
0:26:35 > 0:26:39still holding me back - fear of it returning
0:26:39 > 0:26:44and hopefully these things will improve in time.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47It's just really hard, I think,
0:26:47 > 0:26:51to know when I will stop thinking about cancer every day
0:26:51 > 0:26:56or when will it not be the first thing I think of
0:26:56 > 0:26:57when I wake up in the morning.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59When will it not be the last thing I think of when I go to bed?
0:26:59 > 0:27:03I think it takes time. For me, it's six years on now and I don't wake up
0:27:03 > 0:27:07and think that and I don't go to bed and think that.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10The fear never goes away but you learn how to manage it
0:27:10 > 0:27:14- and I've learnt that. - That's really reassuring.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Amanda knows how cancer treatments
0:27:17 > 0:27:20that are ultimately life-saving can be exhausting.
0:27:20 > 0:27:26She's keen to use her own experience and insight to help Taylor.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30I remember for me I felt a little bit isolated in that there are,
0:27:30 > 0:27:32unfortunately, so many people going through
0:27:32 > 0:27:36breast cancer but there didn't seem to be many people my age
0:27:36 > 0:27:40that I could relate to the different difficulties you have
0:27:40 > 0:27:42of going through cancer with kids.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46Being the youngest person in the waiting room is quite isolating.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51As young mothers, Amanda and Taylor have shared
0:27:51 > 0:27:55many of the same difficulties whilst dealing with cancer.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Amanda, however, has the benefit of being six years on
0:27:58 > 0:28:00from her own cancer diagnosis.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Today she leads an active life
0:28:03 > 0:28:06and takes part in fundraising challenges.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09I feel now I am fitter and healthier and stronger,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I think mentally and physically, than I was before
0:28:12 > 0:28:16but if somebody had been saying this to me five years ago
0:28:16 > 0:28:19that I'd be in this position now, I would probably have struggled
0:28:19 > 0:28:21to believe that I could do it, but I did
0:28:21 > 0:28:24and I'm sure you will be able to, as well.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27It's not easy, it's not easy but I do think with time
0:28:27 > 0:28:31it does get so much easier. I remember the point
0:28:31 > 0:28:33when I was not strong enough to even pick up a pint glass
0:28:33 > 0:28:34after the surgery that I had.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37I'd walk 100 metres down the road and think,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39"I've got this far now, I can't go any further."
0:28:39 > 0:28:41I had to just stop and have a little rest
0:28:41 > 0:28:46- on the pavement then walk back home. - Yes, that sounds very familiar.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50It changes. Since then I have managed to do a 10k run,
0:28:50 > 0:28:52I've swam two miles in Lake Windermere
0:28:52 > 0:28:56in 16 degrees water temperatures, I've rode in a dragon boat race
0:28:56 > 0:28:58and these are things that five or six years ago
0:28:58 > 0:29:01I definitely didn't think I'd be capable of.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05You've got to give yourself time and I think not put too much pressure
0:29:05 > 0:29:07on yourself to try to get there too quickly.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Be patient with yourself, know that you'll get there
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- and I'm sure you will. I'm sure you will.- Thank you.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17I'm not very good at being patient with myself.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19I know. To be honest, me neither, me neither.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21I've had to learn a little bit of patience along the way.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24One challenge that both Amanda and Taylor faced
0:29:24 > 0:29:27has been the impact of cancer on their families.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31For Taylor, seeing how upset her children were at the prospect
0:29:31 > 0:29:34of life without their mum was particularly hard.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Your children were that bit older than mine so I think with that
0:29:37 > 0:29:41there comes more challenges - that you're having to explain to them
0:29:41 > 0:29:44what you're going through and they understand more, don't they?
0:29:44 > 0:29:50They do. They did ask a lot of questions and have been upset
0:29:50 > 0:29:55at the thought of the possibility of losing me in the future.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57It is a particular worry for my daughter.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00It's definitely been a challenge and still is.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04But they are great. They look after me beautifully when I need them to.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06And hopefully they keep you going
0:30:06 > 0:30:08- and give you that bit more strength to...- I think they do.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13They're giving me a sense of purpose and a reason to get out and do stuff
0:30:13 > 0:30:18and wanting to go on and trying to make as many memories as possible
0:30:18 > 0:30:20and do as many things as possible
0:30:20 > 0:30:22because I realise how important that is now.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25- Yes, it's that time with them, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28And doing things you enjoy and appreciate in life and family
0:30:28 > 0:30:30and what's important to you.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34For me, I really found that cancer puts life into perspective.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37- Oh, definitely.- You very quickly come to realise
0:30:37 > 0:30:41what's important in your life and you prioritise differently
0:30:41 > 0:30:42to what you do before.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Have you got any exciting plans for the future, then?
0:30:45 > 0:30:49For myself, as I said, I've gone back to work
0:30:49 > 0:30:53- so I'm getting my Masters degree.- Oh, wow! That's brilliant.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55It's something I've always wanted to do.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57I don't put stuff off any more like I used to.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59"Oh, we'll do that next year."
0:30:59 > 0:31:01"We'll do that in a couple of years."
0:31:01 > 0:31:04You know, "It's not the right time." "No, let's do it now."
0:31:04 > 0:31:07I think it's important to just have a bit of me time, isn't it?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- Enjoy your own company and... - Yeah.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13..reflect and think about what's going on.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Having heard Taylor's story,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Amanda is now keen to know what she might be able to do to help her.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23With all the challenges, then, that you've had going on,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26what would make your life that little bit easier?
0:31:26 > 0:31:31More time in the day and some more energy. It is really...
0:31:31 > 0:31:35It is the fatigue. The only thing that's going to make that better
0:31:35 > 0:31:37is perhaps being kinder to myself.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40What talking to you has given me, to be honest,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43seeing you being six years down the line
0:31:43 > 0:31:47and achieving the things that you've achieved, especially physically,
0:31:47 > 0:31:52that really gives me some hope that I can do that in time,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55that this isn't how it's always going to be.
0:31:55 > 0:32:01I think cancer can consume you. It becomes everything you think about,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03it's all everybody talks about.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05I got to the point where I thought, "Do you know what?
0:32:05 > 0:32:07"I'm a bit fed up of telling people how I feel
0:32:07 > 0:32:09"so I'll just tell everyone I'm doing OK."
0:32:09 > 0:32:12- I'm fine(!)- Exactly. For me, having those little things
0:32:12 > 0:32:16to look forward to made a massive, massive difference
0:32:16 > 0:32:20and just trying to find a way to have some time to myself
0:32:20 > 0:32:23where I concentrated on getting better,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26both mentally and physically.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30It gets easier with each day and I think you'll be capable of more
0:32:30 > 0:32:32with each day and as time passes, most definitely.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36- Thank you.- Well, thank you so much for sharing your story with me.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39It's been absolutely brilliant to meet you.
0:32:39 > 0:32:43- I hope we'll keep in touch.- Yes.- If there's anything I can do at all
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- to help in your journey, then please do get in touch.- Thank you.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48- I will do.- Oh, thank you. - Thank you for listening.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- No problem, lovely to meet you.- And you too.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58So, what has Amanda made of her meeting with Taylor?
0:32:58 > 0:33:01I can completely relate to where she is at,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04how she's dealing with the fear that she's living with.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07If I could have the opportunity to just give something back
0:33:07 > 0:33:10that would really help her, that would be absolutely brilliant.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16For Amanda, Taylor's story has such strong echoes of her own experience
0:33:16 > 0:33:20as a young mother living with breast cancer.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23She's struggled with the fatigue that Taylor's feeling
0:33:23 > 0:33:24and understands the fear
0:33:24 > 0:33:26of whether you will live to see your children grow up.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30But Amanda came through it all
0:33:30 > 0:33:33which is why she could now be the perfect person to help Taylor,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36but before she decides whether that is something she can commit to,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40she's going to talk it through with her best friend, Kate.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44- Hi, Kate.- Hi.- How are you?- I'm good, how are you?- Good, thank you.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48- Lovely to see you. - Lovely to see you too.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51So, what have you been up to?
0:33:51 > 0:33:54Oh, well, it's been an interesting few days.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58Yesterday I met a really lovely lady. She is a similar age to us
0:33:58 > 0:34:01but in the midst of still going through cancer treatment.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05She had a mastectomy straightaway, launched straight into chemotherapy
0:34:05 > 0:34:09which was quite tough on her because it shut her heart down.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Oh, my goodness! I've not heard of that before.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15It's caused her massive mobility problems
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and she's got two young kids that she's looking after
0:34:18 > 0:34:21whilst going through all these difficulties
0:34:21 > 0:34:23so I really felt for her. She's going through a tough time
0:34:23 > 0:34:25and what really hit home to me
0:34:25 > 0:34:28was when she said she goes to bed every night thinking
0:34:28 > 0:34:31might she die of cancer and she wakes up in the morning thinking
0:34:31 > 0:34:32could she be dying of cancer?
0:34:32 > 0:34:35How did that make you feel? I bet that took you back a bit, didn't it?
0:34:35 > 0:34:37It did, yes. It just made me think about where I was
0:34:37 > 0:34:39five or six years ago. Time has moved on for me
0:34:39 > 0:34:42and life is so much easier but I felt like it took me
0:34:42 > 0:34:45back to the time when I was in her shoes
0:34:45 > 0:34:48and the difficulties I was facing and how tough it is.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Gosh, and I bet it really helped just meeting you,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54even seeing what you've been through.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Yeah, so, it just got me thinking, "What can I do to help her?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00"How can I make her life that little bit easier?
0:35:00 > 0:35:03"What can I do to make her feel that bit better, to calm her anxieties,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06"to help her feel physically a bit stronger?"
0:35:06 > 0:35:09She mentioned a lot about how fatigued she was feeling
0:35:09 > 0:35:13and the tiredness, that constant fear that's ringing in her head.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16What helped you when you are going through that, do you think?
0:35:16 > 0:35:18- Well, I was lucky, I had you.- Ah!
0:35:18 > 0:35:20So I had the support from friends like you,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23my family were around me who were amazing.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26Obviously going in and out of hospital, you're having the surgery,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28you have the chemotherapy to get you fitter and healthier
0:35:28 > 0:35:33but it's tough. I think she just needed a little bit of me time.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36We discussed that. Whilst you're going through cancer,
0:35:36 > 0:35:38life goes on around you and you can't stop,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41- especially with Taylor... - With the children.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45Yeah, she's got two young children that can't make it easy for her
0:35:45 > 0:35:48- to focus on herself.- I can remember that and how much you...
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Just having that space to yourself and time,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54- it really, really helped you, didn't it?- It did.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57From a well-being perspective, made you feel much, much better.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59Definitely. So what do you think?
0:35:59 > 0:36:01Do you think I should try to do something to help her?
0:36:01 > 0:36:02I think that's a lovely idea
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- and I think you're the best possible person to do it.- OK.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07I'm going to see what I can do to help.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Knowing that Kate is behind her all the way
0:36:10 > 0:36:13has strengthened Amanda's desire to give something back.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17Now she has to decide just what she can do to make a difference
0:36:17 > 0:36:19to the lives of Taylor and her children.
0:36:19 > 0:36:20It's a big decision
0:36:20 > 0:36:24so Amanda's going to take a little bit of time to think it all through.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35I'm on my way to catch up with Amanda
0:36:35 > 0:36:39who I know has met up with Taylor and that meeting must have been
0:36:39 > 0:36:41a huge source of comfort to Taylor.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44After all, Amanda knows exactly what she's going through,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48but is she ready to give something back and help Taylor?
0:36:48 > 0:36:50Let's go and find out, shall we?
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Amanda's waiting for me just around the corner
0:36:53 > 0:36:56from where Taylor and the kids are having a day out.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58I can't wait to find out what she's decided to do.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04- Hello, nice to see you again. - Lovely to see you, as well.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08- So how did the meeting go? - It went well, it went well.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12It was great to meet her. I could relate to the world of pain and fear
0:37:12 > 0:37:16that she's living in right now so I remember it well.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18It felt like I had been transported back in time
0:37:18 > 0:37:22- to me five or six years ago.- That must have been quite tough, as well?
0:37:22 > 0:37:24She's in a difficult place
0:37:24 > 0:37:27but hopefully she'll be able to move on from it positively.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- Do you think you can help her? - I hope so, yes, I really hope so.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33In what way can you help, do you think, then?
0:37:33 > 0:37:36What I would like to do is give her a gift
0:37:36 > 0:37:39of some treatment from the Haven organisation.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41'Over the past year,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45'Amanda's completed a series of fundraising challenges
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'that have raised a staggering £7,000.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53'Amanda wants £1,000 of this money to be used to provide a programme
0:37:53 > 0:37:54'of support for Taylor.'
0:37:56 > 0:38:00Once she's met up with the manager there, they can devise a course
0:38:00 > 0:38:03of treatment that's tailor-made for her needs.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05That's going to be an amazing gift for her, make such a difference.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08I hope so. It made a difference to my life massively
0:38:08 > 0:38:11and I hope it will make the same difference to her.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13That's very, very generous of you, and also so powerful.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- You know, you talk so passionately about how it helped you.- Yes.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19- And almost changed your life. - It did. It did.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Going through cancer is a pretty scary experience.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26It's not just the physical side of it,
0:38:26 > 0:38:27it's the mental side of it, as well.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30And they can help with both and hopefully they can help Taylor
0:38:30 > 0:38:33in the same way that they've helped me.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37'Amanda has put down on paper all that she wants to say to Taylor.'
0:38:37 > 0:38:39I've written a little letter to her
0:38:39 > 0:38:42which I'm looking forward to passing on to her later.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44- We're going to do it right now. Forget later.- All right, OK.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46She's actually on a day out with her kids
0:38:46 > 0:38:49so I think we should just grasp the nettle and go for it.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52- Let's do it.- Come on, then.- Amazing.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00'Taylor, Jack and Jasmine are enjoying their trip
0:39:00 > 0:39:02'to the local wildlife centre and have no idea
0:39:02 > 0:39:04'what's about to happen.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10'This is Amanda's big moment, revealing to Taylor and her family
0:39:10 > 0:39:14'what she's really been up to. Just how will Taylor react?'
0:39:14 > 0:39:18- I'm nervous.- I know, I'm hearing some dinosaurs roaring, as well.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20They're not real, don't worry.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25They're just having a lovely day out. They have no idea we're coming.
0:39:25 > 0:39:26They're not expecting us.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I know, it's going to make such a difference to her.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31- I hope so.- Right, shall we do this?- Let's do it.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33Come on, then. (She hasn't seen us yet.)
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Let's keep going. She still hasn't seen us.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Still hasn't seen us. This is good. She has no idea.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45- We're going to be in the lake at this rate.- Here we go.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49- Taylor.- Yes.- I'm Aled Jones, nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you too.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53- Hi, guys. How are you doing? - You've surprised me.- Sorry.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56You thought we were making a programme
0:39:56 > 0:40:00about living with breast cancer. It's not the whole story, is it?
0:40:00 > 0:40:02I was just massively inspired to meet you,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05so I've written you a little letter for you which I was hoping
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- you could open and read out. - Oh, thank you so much.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- You've got your glasses on.- I have got my glasses on. I can see.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16"Dear Taylor, hearing your story transported me back in time
0:40:16 > 0:40:19"to when I was in the midst of cancer treatment,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22"exhausted by the treatment and fearful of the future.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25"Moving on from cancer takes time and patience
0:40:25 > 0:40:29"which I know we both struggle with." Definitely.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32"But with the support and a positive frame of mind,
0:40:32 > 0:40:37"I'm sure you'll be back to the real you in the not so distant future.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39"I would like to offer you a gift
0:40:39 > 0:40:42"that I feel would make a massive difference to how you are feeling -
0:40:42 > 0:40:44"a course of treatment from the Haven.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47"This is an amazing organisation offering support
0:40:47 > 0:40:49"and complementary therapies
0:40:49 > 0:40:50"to people affected by breast cancer
0:40:50 > 0:40:53"and they massively helped me both physically and mentally.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56"They will do a personalised assessment for you and your children
0:40:56 > 0:40:59"and offer a range of courses to support you.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01"All the best for a healthy future."
0:41:01 > 0:41:03- Thank you so much. - You're very welcome.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06I'm really touched. Beautiful words, as well.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09- It made such a difference to you, didn't it?- It did, yeah.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Mentally, physically, a calming, relaxing effect.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14- That's what you need. That's what you deserve.- Thank you.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16You're going to have loads of space,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- loads of time, loads of pampering, as well.- Exactly, exactly.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- That's awesome.- It's good news, isn't it?
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- What do you think about that? - Awesome.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- We must keep in touch.- Yes, definitely, we must keep in touch.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31We just wanted to give you this little surprise
0:41:31 > 0:41:33- and for you to have some time.- Thank you.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37- Pleasure. Nice to see you.- Thank you so much.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39- Cheers.- It's been lovely to meet you.- And you too.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43- I'm really touched by it. - Look after yourself.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46- And you too.- Take care.- Thank you. - See you, guys. Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49- Take care.- Awesome.- Yes.
0:41:50 > 0:41:51Oh, you're lovely.
0:41:53 > 0:41:54Lots of hugs.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Seeing Taylor with her children really does bring home
0:41:58 > 0:42:00how much as a family they must have been through.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03I hope this gift from Amanda goes some way
0:42:03 > 0:42:06in helping them on their road to recovery.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09I know from my own personal experience what a difference
0:42:09 > 0:42:12that will make to Taylor. It will help with the pains
0:42:12 > 0:42:15that she's suffering with, it'll help with the fatigue so it should
0:42:15 > 0:42:19get her back to the person that she used to be, if not stronger.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20It was a huge surprise.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23I really wasn't expecting anything quite like that.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27It is an emotional thing that I've been through and for someone
0:42:27 > 0:42:31to reach out and do that for me is a beautiful thing.
0:42:31 > 0:42:32It really choked me up.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36To be able to help someone that has been in a similar situation to me
0:42:36 > 0:42:41is just brilliant, absolutely overwhelming. Makes me very happy.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44It's been such an honour spending time with Amanda
0:42:44 > 0:42:47who is such a positive and inspiring person.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50She knew exactly what Taylor and her children needed to move forward
0:42:50 > 0:42:54and now thanks to Amanda, well, the family has the support
0:42:54 > 0:42:56and Taylor has the me time
0:42:56 > 0:42:58that she so desperately needs and so deserves.