Breast cancer diagnosis inspires Kirkcaldy mum to tackle charity walk

Nicki Guthrie-Hume will be joined by her dad at the event on Saturday, June 20 to raise money and awareness for everyone affected by breast cancer.

The 44-year old operations lead with Scottish Rugby, and mother of three, was in the shower in 2023 when she noticed a change in her breast.

She was sent her for a mammogram and ultrasound and given a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Nicki said: “The doctor said it was strange because the lump I had found was not cancer, it was just fatty tissue. There were other cancerous lumps in the ultrasound that he couldn’t feel, so it was lucky I had been sent for the ultrasound. After the diagnosis, it was a whirlwind of appointments and scans.

“As the lumps were far apart, they suggested that a mastectomy was the best thing for me; that the best thing to do was take the breast off. It was six weeks from diagnosis to surgery.”

Nicki then underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment and is still on hormone blockers.

She said: “I was terrified, but I had to do it for the kids. When you hear the word ‘cancer,’ you think ‘I’m going to die because it’s cancer.’ My son was five and my twin girls were three. I needed to get through it for my kids. They still need their mum to be around.”

After losing her own mum to lung cancer, Nicki was inspired to raise awareness and funds for people impacted by cancer.

“It’s affected me and I know so many people who have been impacted by cancer. I think more people should know about the Pink Ribbon Walks. We’re training and trying to get to 10 miles for the walk.”

The events, staged by Breast Cancer, are in their 21st year. The Pink Ribbon Walks have raised over £15.5m for Breast Cancer Now. When they started in 2005, eight in 10 women in the UK survived breast cancer for five or more years - now it is nine in 10.

For more details please visit https://breastcancernow.org/prw