Bournville Women’s Chair Victoria Clifford – better known as ‘Frag’ – is to undertake a five-day trek on the Isle of Skye to raise funds for breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!
Frag, 46, was diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer last summer and has since undergone six rounds of intravenous chemotherapy and is about to have a double mastectomy.
But Frag has signed up for the Coppatrek in June when she, along with Giovanni Fletcher and some other famous faces, will walk 100km in five days on a trek that will mean walking for nine hours a day.
“I will need to train hard to achieve this as my fitness and strength has been lost over the last four months of chemotherapy and will deteriorate further after surgery,” Frag said.
“This trek will be my motivation post-op to get active and adopt a healthy-eating regime. I might even moderate the booze!”
The CoppaTrek will help to raise funds for and awareness of Coppafeel!, which aims to stamp out breast cancer by making sure that young people check their breasts, pecs and chest and to have the confidence to see their GP if they think anything is not normal.
A JustGiving page has been set up for Frag with the target of raising £5,000 for her participation in the CoppaTrek. Donations can be made here: Victoria Clifford is fundraising for CoppaFeel!
Everyone at Bournville is behind Frag in her preparations for the CoppaTrek and in her brave and inspirational fight against breast cancer.
“It’s been a whirlwind since diagnosis. I’ve given lots of blood samples; had a CT scan, MRI scan, and two echocardiograms; had a Picc line inserted for 18 weeks, and met some exceptional nurses, doctors and health care professionals,” Frag said.
“I’ve had six rounds of intravenous chemotherapy and anti-HER2 medication, from August 23 to Christmas.
“I lost a lot of hair – head and body – and shaved the rest off my head to take control. I’ve had fun wearing wigs. Thank goodness for my microbladed eyebrows or I’d look really odd!
“I’ve worked as much as I could through chemo, to keep me occupied/sane and help the bank balance.
“It’s been tough. Chemo is tough. I’m about to have a double mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction plus axilla lymph node removal. Then, I resume immunotherapy for 12 rounds and start hormone therapy.”
“I’m 46, have no family history of cancer, and no genetic pre-disposition. My diagnosis came as a total shock.”
To find out more about CoppaFeel! visit: www.coppafeel.org