Glasgow woman selected as face of national breast cancer awareness campaign

A woman whose biggest fear after she was diagnosed with breast cancer was not being able to exercise has been selected to tell her story for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Jane Grove, 53, from Glasgow, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2020 and used exercise to stay positive.

After chemotherapy took her “straight into the menopause”, Ms Grove worried she would not be able to exercise or take her dog for walks.

She said: “My biggest fear, apart from the possibility of dying, was that treatments would make it difficult for me to run and get out for dog walks, essential for my mood and particularly as chemo took me straight into menopause.

Jane Grove used exercise to stay positive through breast cancer.

“The prospect of it not being something I would continue to do didn’t bear thinking about.” Ms Grove had a mastectomy in December 2020, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in January 2021 and, just 10 days after her surgery, she walked 5km for the annual Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre Santa Dash.

“I found it important to stay active throughout chemotherapy and found that moving just a little helped with the mental impact of cancer treatment,” she added.

“I went for daily walks, runs or cycles, depending on the impact of my treatment and how exhausted I was.

“Throughout this time, I took photos of flowers, the trees and my happy dog, enjoying my time in nature.

Eligible women will be invited for their first breast screening mammogram before their 53rd birthday. Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images

“I remember being so elated on a rainy evening in March as I walked through the park.

“I looked around to see that nobody was nearby and whipped off my hat to feel the cooling rain soothing my poor baldy head. It was fantastic!”

Ms Grove had a supportive group of friends and running group who were there for her when she was at her toughest points of treatment.

“When I was feeling really low, I hadn’t made it out of the door all day let alone along to our Wednesday evening Mums On The Run and they called by my street during their run, to wave and sing to me.

“I’d had to steer clear of the group for months due to lowered immunity, so that was so emotional,” Ms Grove added.

The Adidas campaign called Strength in Nature has been launched in partnership with Breast Cancer Now to help raise awareness of breast cancer and support the vital work carried out by the charity.

The sports label has launched a collection of trainers and clothes for running, hiking and mountain biking with £15 from each full-price sale donated to Breast Cancer Now.

Rachael Franklin, director of fundraising, communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: “We are so delighted to be partnering with adidas this Breast Cancer Awareness Month on their Strength In Nature campaign.

“In the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes and one man is diagnosed every day and, alarmingly, without urgent action this will rise to one woman being diagnosed in the UK every eight minutes by 2030.”