I just miss my friend, I’m so grateful we met
LAUREN MAHON co-hosted a cancer podcast with the BBC presenter Rachael Bland, who died last month. She tells us why she’s determined to raise awareness about breast cancer
WHEN BBC broadcaster Rachael Bland died from breast cancer last month her death made headlines around the country and thousands of people paid tribute online.
As one-third of the popular podcast You, Me And The Big C Rachael had been sharing her experiences of life with breast cancer with an ever-growing number of listeners. In the week leading up to her death the podcast hit the number one spot, something her husband Steve said made her “very happy”.
Now, just days after the mum-of-one’s funeral, fellow podcaster Lauren Mahon is sharing her memories of Rachael, her friend and co-host.
“I just miss my friend. I miss our chats,” says Lauren, 33. “I miss supporting each other when things aren’t going well.
“Life is very precious but it’s fleeting,” she adds.
The pair first met online just over a year ago.
She, Rachael and their fellow host Deborah James had all been diagnosed with cancer within three months of each other.
Lauren was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, while Rachael had secondary breast cancer and Deborah has bowel cancer. All three women were in the midst of gruelling treatment and had decided to share their experiences online.
“I really struggled to find anyone who was talking about cancer in a language I could understand,” says Lauren, who writes the blog Girl Vs Cancer.
“A lot of blogs about breast cancer were pink and fluffy but that’s not me and it never will be.”
Soon the three women’s blogs took off and they starting leaving comments on each other’s posts.
“We were all in the middle of treatment and started following each other’s journeys online,” says Lauren, who works in digital marketing.
BEFORE long, Rachael asked if she could write a post for Lauren’s blog and the pair became friends. A few months later Rachael asked Lauren if she wanted to be involved in a podcast she was planning for BBC 5 Live and she was excited to get on board.
“An online community of people going through cancer treatment had sprung up because cancer wasn’t being talked about in a way we could relate to. I wanted to give a different perception of cancer and before I knew it we were in the 5 Live radio studio.”
The podcast tackled a different topic each week and centred around the three women talking openly about their experiences.
“We got into a room and just talked at each other. We hoped it would make a difference, of course, but we had no idea what we were doing,” says Lauren.
Within weeks the podcast was topping the download charts. But behind the scenes, in May this year, Rachael received the devastating news that her cancer had spread and was terminal. Four months later, on September 5, she died, aged just 40.
“Our beautiful, courageous Rachael died peacefully this morning surrounded by her close family. We are crushed,” wrote her husband Steve on Twitter.
Now, just weeks after her death, Lauren is still coming to terms with the loss of her friend. “I miss sending her a message when I see something funny. I miss her incredible sense of humour and her kindness,” she says.
Lauren and Deborah are determined to continue the podcast in her memory.
“She wanted us to continue the podcast so we will uphold our end of the bargain for our friend,” says Lauren. “We have some of Rachael’s words, voiceovers we use at the beginning and end of the podcast, and we’re going to keep those so she’s still with us for every single episode.” What’s more, in the wake of Rachael’s death, Lauren has redoubled her efforts to raise funds for and awareness of breast cancer. Today, the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a T-shirt goes on sale on Lauren’s website to raise money for cancer charities close to her heart including CoppaFeel!, Trekstock, Future Dreams and Look Good Feel Better. “I’ve chosen charities that I encountered through my own diagnosis. I really rate what they’re doing,” she says. CoppaFeel! is especially important to her as it focuses on young breast cancer sufferers. Lauren was only 31 when a tumour was found in her right breast in August 2016. “I couldn’t believe it when I was diagnosed. I was healthy and felt as though I was in the prime of my life,” she says. “I had no family history of breast cancer so it came as a bolt out of the blue. I think I’m still in shock to this day.
“CoppaFeel! was one of the first places I went when I was diagnosed. It’s one of the only breast cancer charities that talks to young adults in language they can understand.
“We think of cancer as an illness people suffer later in life but breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in people under 40 so it’s important to get the message out about it.”
She wishes more young people were aware of the symptoms of breast cancer.
“When I got my lump it took me three months to have it checked. If I’d have left it longer I don’t know what position I’d be in.
“Young women are not told to check their breasts and it was never part of my routine. Even when you do notice a change it can be hard to be taken seriously by your doctor. I was fortunate I was referred to the hospital but lots of young people aren’t.”
Thankfully Lauren’s cancer had not spread to the rest of her body. However because it was hormonally driven, the treatment would leave her infertile so she chose to freeze her eggs.
“When the doctor asked me if I wanted kids I wasn’t sure and I still don’t really know. But I knew that if I had the opportunity to have them and that was taken away I’d be really upset,” she says.
Lauren froze nine eggs before starting a gruelling six months of chemotherapy, followed by a lumpectomy and radiotherapy.
Now, she is cancer-free but will continue to take hormone-suppressing drugs for the next five years. “I think the cancer diagnosis has made me live a bigger and better life,” she says.
“I try not to beat myself up about things such as how I look or what people think of me. I don’t stress as much about money. What matters is being happy and spending time with those I love.”
And in Rachael’s memory, she is more determined than ever to live life to the full.
“When I do eventually leave this world I want to have lived the best life I could and made my mark. Rachael was amazing. I’ll always be grateful to have met her.”
Lauren has designed a T-shirt, left, with Chiquita Bananas. All proceeds go to CoppaFeel!, Trekstock, Future Dreams and Look Good, Feel Better. To buy one visit girlvscancer.co.uk/shop