More cancers than marriages
TELLING others about her cancer diagnosis proved an unexpected hurdle in one woman’s battle with the disease.
Mette Baillie developed breast cancer in May last year, but was adamant the news would not take over her life. The 46-year-old did not want the condition to rob her of her freedom to work.
Originally from Denmark, she has lived in Edinburgh since 1991 and runs her own wedding dress business. And despite being daunted at the beginning, she takes a great sense of pride in being able to control her own life post-diagnosis.
Ms Baillie said: “I was really shocked. I didn’t quite know how to handle it. My sister died of colon cancer 14 years ago and when you have had an experience like that it flavours what you think about cancer.
“Being diagnosed with cancer affects all aspects of your life. I run my own business and have worked many years to get it to the level it is today.
“I decided that I would work as much as I could and not really tell anyone I had cancer. I felt there was a huge stigma to it and I didn’t want people to say: ‘You can’t work, you have to stay at home’. I wanted to make that decision myself.
“I had huge support from the people I work with and it felt really good I could carry on with some sort of normality. It feels nice now I’m on the other side – every day I have more energy and it feels amazing.”