The Turd and I

In short: Kris lived to the age of 38 with stage 4 breast cancer since 2009.

There is, of course, a lot more to her than that. Below is a list of treatments, integrative approaches and ways in which she lived with her cancer. This was very personal and individualised to Kris. However, she always hoped that by sharing her life with cancer with you, you would feel more empowered to take control of your own situation.
More details around her cancer and treatments can be found in her Patreon blog and for the full history, please read her book.

I live in Cornwall with my cat Lady Marmalade. For over a third of my life I have been living with Stage 4, secondary, incurable cancer. But I’m here, miraculously, living a life I really love. Shortly after the diagnosis at 23, I started the first breast cancer education charity, CoppaFeel!, which reminds over 1.4 million people a year to check their boobs, raises over £4million per year, successfully campaigned to add cancer education on the school curriculum and most importantly, has saved many lives. I’ve received a Pride of Britain Award, A Cosmopolitan magazine Campaigner of the year award, shortlisted for Third Sectors most admired charity CEO, and have been awarded an honorary doctorate in Public Administration from Nottingham Trent University. I stepped down as CEO in 2016 and now pursue speaking engagements, writing, dipping in the cold sea, serving up coffee and cakes from my vintage truck by the sea with my twin, whilst working for CoppaFeel! part time. Occasionally I even find time to remember I have cancer.

The super long more detailed account of my entire cancer history:

Summer 2008: Visited GP with painful lumpy boob - I had NO idea how long it had been there but do know I had been ignoring symptoms (pain, lump, nipple discharge) for a while, longer than a year.

GP told me it was nothing to worry about. She said it was hormonal. Examined me. 

I went to Beijing for 6 months. Still had lumpy painful boob. Some nights it would wake me up. 

Came home Dec 23rd 2008 and went straight to GP. Saw different GP, didn’t examine me. Wasn’t concerned. Suggested I changed the pill. But instead I came off the pill.

Early January. Went back to the GP. Asked to be referred. Waited 10 days to be seen. Had an ultrasound. Consultant wanted to wait a further 3 weeks for my hormones to settle. 

3 weeks later symptoms were worse, more pain, couldn’t lie on my front, woke up one day with blood stained t shirt. Went back to consultant who did mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. 

One week later, 19th Feb, told it was breast cancer. 

26th Feb told it was secondary breast cancer - it had already spread to my lower spine (which explained the immeasurable pain).

Radiotherapy to spine commenced, followed by chemo commenced - FEC-T and eventually a left mastectomy followed by chest radiotherapy. Shortly after I commenced Tamoxifen and monthly zometa IV. 

2011 - Diagnosed with liver mets and lesions on my hips, pelvis, and more spinal areas. Vertebroplasty to fix my crumbled lower spine and some radiotherapy to upper spine, hips and pelvis. Switched from tamoxifen to letrozole, faslodex and zoladex. Continued with zometa. 

2012 - Brain lesion followed by stereotactic radiotherapy. Continued same treatment. 

2016 - New tiny brain lesion followed by stereotactic radiotherapy. Two new liver lesions. Oophorectomy to ensure little to no oestrogen in my body. Stopped letrozole, switched to exemestane and affinitor. Later switched from Affinitor to Palbociclib targeted treatment. Monthly denusomab injections. 

2018 - multiple brain lesions - 57 in total throughout the year, treated with targeted gamma knife radiotherapy (I was completely asymptomatic). Later that year my liver lesions progressed - one measuring 8cm. Liver biopsy showed cancer now triple negative with not many useful mutations. Commenced capecitabine at slightly lowered dose to avoid side effects. Liver lesion receded to almost nothing.

2021 - new cancer site on left adrenal gland. All other cancer stable. Adrenalectomy to remove entire tumour. Pathology determined also a triple negative breast cancer. Carried on with capecitabine oral chemo as well as denusomab.

2022 - my 4 years on capecitabine with next to no side effects came to an end. More liver progression and some new brain mets. Moved to vinorelbine in early 2022. Also had more gamma knife radiotherapy to multiple brain mets. End of summer 2022 scan revealed more liver progression. Commenced Trodelvy IV chemo in October.

2023 - many many many new brain lesions discovered in early summer and treated with whole brain radiotherapy (a treatment I’d put off for 5 years). Liver progression also discovered on routine scan so Trodelvy was stopped and Eribulin was started in August.

August 2023 - started Eribulin chemotherapy and it was just after one round I ended up with pneumonia in hospital, where I was treated for two weeks with antibiotics and blood transfusions. Recovered and was able to have next round of chemo before being discharged.

2014 - continued on Eribulin until January 2024, when I had first seizure. Following a brain scan it was discovered further progression in brain and it was decided that a new chemo should be tried - one which may be more effective in reaching the brain. Due to the brain seizures started on dexamethasone and the anti seizure drug Keppra.

February 2024 - started Carboplatin chemotherapy and completed two rounds before it was decided in March, following more seizures and a brain scan, that the brain mets were too extensive and that the chemo would do more harm than good. Keppra, Lacosamide and high doses of Dexamethasone kept seizures under control.

I have, over the years, integrated other treatments alongside my conventional regimen. I’ve tried all the below - and have marked the ones I am currently still benefitting from.

Mistletoe therapy - subcutaneous and IV (still active)

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Cannabis oil (high levels of THC)

Mushroom supplements (still active)

CBD oil (still active)

Acupuncture (still active)

High dose vitamin C (still active)

Repurposed meds (still active)

Energy healing

Pranic healing

Trauma release techniques including breathe work (still active)

Counselling

Juicing

Essential oils

Epsom salt baths

Cancer Touch Therapy

Cold water swimming

Exercise

Netflix binges

Chocolate