Sunderland mum diagnosed with breast cancer after losing her own mother to the same condition becomes award-winning fundraiser

Debbie Wrathmall, from Castletown, has turned her devastating experiences with cancer into motivation to become an award winning fundraiser for charities including Macmillan.

Debbie sadly lost her mother Linda to breast cancer in 2005 at the age of 57, before she was also diagnosed aged 40, just five years later.

Within seven days of presenting at her GP, Debbie had a mammogram and a biopsy and had been diagnosed; and within 24 days of that she elected to have a mastectomy.

The mum-of-two then underwent six months of chemotherapy.

Now, Debbie has raised £52,000 in total over 11 years after channelling her experiences with chemotherapy and depression into fundraising.

She said: “I was extremely fortunate to have my cancer diagnosed at stage 1 because it was an aggressive form of the disease.

"Often breast cancer isn’t detected this early because usually there is initially no pain and the lump, if there is one, is too small to feel. But with me it was early, I’d been asleep and woke up with a shooting pain in my breast that galvanised me to go immediately to the doctor.”

Most recently Debbie has just won the TSB’s most successful fundraiser nationally securing an additional £1,000 toward her chosen charities.

She has also been recognised nationally by JustGiving as one of their most successful fundraisers and is well known for her Red Carpet Ball, attended by over 200 of her family and friends, held at the Roker Hotel in Sunderland.

She said: “After my mam’s experience being diagnosed felt like the end, like I was never going to see my children grow up.

"As it turns out my physical and mental therapies to tackle the cancer and the subsequent depression I experienced were successful and I’ve been able to make many precious memories and watch my family grow these last 11 years.”

Debbie says she is ‘incredibly grateful’ for the support she received from Macmillan including the Macmillan funded Sunderland Patient Cancer Care and the counselling she received for the psychological impact of cancer which led to depression.

Debbie, a mum to Dayna and Olivia, added: “It was the feeling of not being in control I hated but I took every opportunity offered including the psychologist because I wanted to get better. I was told the chemotherapy was a precautionary measure as they had successfully removed the cancer in the operation.

“I really felt that I owed Macmillan and the NHS something because of the lifesaving help and support I received both physically and mentally.

“I’m very open about what happened to me and my mam and I want to pass on my experience so that other people can navigate their way through. If my words and positivity help one person I’ll be happy and thankful.”

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