Sharon's Story - Little Lifts

Sharon’s Story

Say hello to lovely Sharon who received her Little Lifts Radiotherapy Box through our hospital partner.

Sharon received her Little Lifts Radiotherapy Box at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after her primary breast cancer diagnosis in September 2022. After finding a painful lump, she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. She had a large tumor meaning she received intense surgery followed by several weeks of radiotherapy.

Sharon is a plant research scientist, she did her BSc in medical biotech and later received a PHD for plant-pathogen interactions. Sharon moved to the UK after her husband was recruited, before they had lived in the Netherlands and the USA.

She loves interacting with people, dancing and cooking as well as volunteering for public engagement and STEM outreach promoting diversity. Her favourite food is pastei, bojo and viadoe from her home country, Suriname 🇸🇷. She also enjoys food from Vietnam and ice cream from the friendly people at Café Gelato in Norwich.

‘I remember the day I got the Box very vividly. It was a very chaotic day for me… there was no clarity about my treatment plan. I opened the Box and I was so surprised because there was stuff there for me. There was somebody or people out there who knew what I was going through and what I was facing… Everything was there for me. It was thoughtful to help and support me in the weeks to come.’

When Sharon received her Box she enjoyed discovering new brands, particularly noting the sensitive skin care items by MooGoo Skin Care and BEAM Natural Body Care as well as practical items like her water bottle and tote bag which she used throughout her treatment. She also wears a Boho Betty UK bracelet she received in her Box every day to show her support of our work.

Sharon now does it all for Little Lifts, from Box packing in HQ, to trail runs and modelling; she is always happy to give a helping hand. Not only does she volunteer her time, she helps us to spread the word which for our small but mighty charity is so important.

Sharon’s Top Tips:

• If you feel a lump don’t hesitate. I was just in time and the tumor cells hadn’t spread yet into the lymph system.
• Take your moisturizer with you (I used natural aloe vera) and moisturised a lot immediately after treatment.
• Mental well-being is very important, mindfulness exercises helped staying calm and setting a positive goal each week. Even binge watching the ‘Gilmore Girls’ made me feel a bit better. Or walking to the local café for a brownie.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Sharon as well as your kind support. It means so much to our small but mighty team!