Fionnuala Murray
Two years ago, Fionnuala Murray was devastated to be diagnosed with breast cancer. But the mother of two took a proactive approach to her recovery, making the most of the window between surgery and starting chemotherapy the only way she knew how. “I went back to the gym. Everyone thought I was mad, but I wanted to be as fit and strong as I could by the time I faced it. In the end, I ended up feeling more mentally prepared too. I had processed what was ahead of me. Working out every day helped me stay in control of who I was as a person.” Fionnuala’s experience has challenged her perception of beauty, and she now believes that “it’s the energy you get from a person”, a lesson she’s eager to impart to her daughters. “I always tell them to talk to someone different every day. Even if you’re in a coffee shop or something, you never know what someone is going through. When I was going through tough times and a stranger said something nice, I immediately felt better. I think we all look at our daughters as extensions of ourselves. At least we try to, but then we see that they are their own personalities, and how they look and behave is who they are.” As for when she felt most beautiful, Fionnuala recalls her eldest daughter’s wedding last January. “When I was sick, I worried that I’d start to feel and look old, but that morning, from the moment we got up, the energy was amazing. Everyone was in a good mood and she was marrying the love of her life. I loved getting my hair and make-up done, and felt strong and beautiful.”
“I wanted to be as fit and strong
as I could by the time I faced [chemotherapy].”