Contact us
Press release posted 11 December 2023
This Christmas will be an extra special occasion for Kirsty Snape. 12 months ago, she was dealing with side-effects from gruelling cancer treatment and having to avoid people due to her weakened immune system, but this year she will be enjoying some quality time with her family and friends.
Kirsty Snape was just 31 when she was diagnosed with stage 2, grade 3 breast cancer in July 2022. The young bank manager from Congleton in Cheshire - who is celebrating being with the company for 15 years in December - has documented her cancer journey on her Instagram feed for the past 18 months, raising awareness and encouraging other young women to check themselves.
Since her diagnosis, Kirsty, who is a patient at The Christie hospital in Manchester, has dealt with a challenging treatment journey, including 6 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, ovary removal, a double mastectomy with reconstructions and full lymph node removal, followed by 15 rounds of radiotherapy.
After an incredibly demanding 18 months, she has been given the all-clear but will continue on medication and check-ups every 6 months.
“The medication is for the next 10 years, and something I’ll have to come off when I’m allowed to have a baby, if that’s possible. Children is something that my partner Mat and I would love to have,” explains Kirsty.
“Throughout treatment I just kept thinking it is what it is, I can’t change anything so there is no point in me feeling down about it. Don’t get me wrong, I had my bad days, but overall, I kept positive. I had no idea if the treatment would work, but the half-way scan showed it was, thankfully. I got the results back in February this year.”
Kirsty’s positive spirit and resilience has not only helped her navigate through tough treatment times but has also given her the motivation to give back to the institution that played a pivotal role in saving her life.
She decided to sign up for ‘The Christie Challenge’, a year-long fundraising mission involving six different activities. Completing each activity and raising £60 or more earns her a piece of a medal, with all 6 pieces combining to create a rainbow Christie embrace.
The most recent challenge saw Kirsty tackling a 10K run in the wet and muddy grounds of Tatton Park in Cheshire in November with her partner Mathew Robertson and a group of close friends and family. Despite the difficulties, Kirsty's determination shone through. "The 10K was definitely not easy for me but after the last 18 months, I know that anything is possible if I put my mind to it,” she commented.
"When I signed up for The Christie Challenge, I wanted to give something back to the hospital. Until you need it, you don’t realise just how amazing it really is! Everyone in the hospital was always so upbeat, which must be so hard to do with the things they see every day. I never had a day there when I wasn’t smiling or laughing - they were all like friends and got me through the hardest of days.”
Kirsty’s life-changing treatment hasn’t stopped her from doing the things she loves. She and Mathew enjoy travelling and getting away when they can, but for now Kirsty is looking forward to spending Christmas with her family, friends and “3 crazy cats” Murphy, Minnie and Merlin.
Anna McIntosh, corporate development manager at The Christie Charity said, “Kirsty is an inspiration and we’re so thankful for hers fantastic fundraising efforts. We wish her luck for completing the rest of The Christie Challenge.”
To support the work of The Christie Charity, please go to Donate today or ring 0161 446 3988.
The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds. This includes money for care and treatment, research, education, and extra patient services. Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that The Christie is able to provide to patients and their families.