Meet Annie Fields: A breast cancer survivor who has faced metastatic breast cancer that spread to her brain, lung, and liver, as well as leptomeningeal disease.

How did your cancer journey begin?

My cancer journey started in 2021 when I found a very small lump in my left breast in the middle of the night. I went to see my GP and was referred to a specialist within a couple of weeks, where I was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. I went through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy.

Unfortunately, while I was pregnant, I started experiencing vomiting and headaches. A scan of my head revealed that the breast cancer had returned and spread to my brain. I also developed a very small lesion in my lung.

Since then, my journey has taken several unexpected turns. I underwent liver surgery after a tumour appeared there, and I later developed new brain tumours and a condition called leptomeningeal disease. I was told that leptomeningeal disease typically carries a prognosis of just three to six months, which was incredibly difficult to process.

Despite everything, my most recent brain and body scans have shown no evidence of active disease, something I never thought would be possible!

What treatment did you go through after the cancer returned?

The first time I had cancer, I went through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy.

When the cancer returned, I first had surgery to reduce the pressure in my brain. I underwent a procedure called a third ventriculostomy, where they created a small opening in one of the ventricles in my brain to relieve the pressure. A week later, I had a seven-and-a-half-hour surgery on my cerebellum at the back of my brain to remove the tumour.

Following these surgeries, I began chemotherapy and immunotherapy to treat the cancer, including the lesion in my lung.

Since then, I have also undergone liver surgery to remove a tumour. When new brain tumours and leptomeningeal disease developed, I received full-brain radiotherapy. My immunotherapy was stopped, and I switched to a different chemotherapy treatment called Trodelvy.

The most incredible news is that my latest brain and body scans have shown no evidence of any active disease. After everything I've been through, this is an outcome I genuinely didn't think was possible. I'm now on Trodelvy, and I'm incredibly grateful for this positive news.

What advice do you have for others who may be facing similar circumstances?

Everyone responds to cancer differently, and I've definitely had times when I've found everything much harder than others. I think you have to do whatever feels right for you and focus on protecting your mental health and resilience. That could mean meditation, going for a walk, reading a book, listening to music, spending time with friends, or anything else that helps you feel calm and happy. It doesn't necessarily have to mean counseling or therapy. I also think talking about cancer is really important when you feel ready. I've gone through periods of denial about my diagnosis and prognosis, but eventually being able to talk openly with the people I love has been beneficial. Talking about cancer doesn't change the reality of the diagnosis, but it can help the people around you better understand your feelings, wants, and wishes for the future.

How has cancer affected your relationships with family and friends?

I'm incredibly fortunate to have amazing friends who have been there for me throughout everything. Sometimes the most meaningful support has been something as simple as an occasional text message, phone call, or voice note letting me know they're thinking about me. People don't need to send loads of gifts or be there 24/7 to show that they care. This time around, I've received the same kind of support from friends who simply want to do whatever they can to help. Asking for and accepting help can be difficult, but I've learned that the people around you genuinely love you and want to support you, so sometimes you have to allow them to do that.

What ended up happening with your pregnancy?

I now have a beautiful baby boy who is 13 months old. Thankfully, I didn't find out that my cancer had returned until I was 35 weeks pregnant, so the pregnancy itself wasn't an issue and my son was born healthy. He just thinks his mom doesn't have any hair and is completely unaware of everything else going on. The pregnancy was actually a huge surprise because after having cancer the first time, fertility testing suggested it would be very unlikely for me to become pregnant naturally and that I would probably need fertility support. My husband and I were discussing whether we wanted to go down that route when I unexpectedly became pregnant. Obviously, it's not ideal that my cancer has returned, but I now have this beautiful little boy who is a shining beacon of light and hope during what is otherwise a really difficult time.

What would you tell other moms who might be facing a cancer diagnosis?

My biggest advice is to ask for help and not feel like you have to do everything on your own. Motherhood is already difficult, and people constantly tell you that you should be enjoying every minute of it, but adding a cancer diagnosis and treatment makes that even harder. You're not going to enjoy every day or every second, and you shouldn't beat yourself up about that. I've also started making a memory box for my son in case there comes a time when I'm no longer here. I'm filling it with letters, photographs, voice recordings, a sample of my perfume, and other things that will help him remember me. Hopefully, I'll be around for many, many years to come, but I think it's important to do these things sooner rather than reaching a point where you wish you had done them. It's incredibly difficult to think about, but for me, it's also really important.

What advice would you give someone facing a second cancer diagnosis?

I would tell people to keep living their lives. I have secondary cancer now, I know I'll be on treatment for life, and I understand what that means for my future, but I've gone back to work, I have my beautiful little boy, I exercise, I eat, and I continue doing the things I would normally do. Don't write yourself off just because you've been diagnosed again. I don't think it's realistic to live every single day as if it's your last, but you can try to enjoy your life as much as possible and continue doing the things you loved before your diagnosis. Having cancer doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying your life, and it doesn't mean your life is over. It's not over until it's over, so just keep going.

What do you want people outside the cancer community to understand about life with cancer?

Just because someone has secondary or terminal cancer doesn't mean they're constantly feeling unwell or expecting to die at any moment. I still want to be treated the same way as anybody else. Treatment affects everyone differently, and I'm currently on chemotherapy and immunotherapy, but thankfully my side effects are manageable. I'm still able to live my day-to-day life and do most of the things I would normally be doing. I'm a little more tired, and brain fog from chemotherapy can be difficult, but overall I'm still living my life. If you have a loved one going through treatment, check in with them and ask what side effects or symptoms they're actually experiencing rather than assuming how they feel. We're still here, and we want to be treated like everyone else—with love and respect.

Where do you feel people with cancer could use more support?

We're really fortunate in the UK to have the NHS and access to good healthcare, and there are also benefits available to people with cancer, particularly those with secondary cancer. One area I think people should consider more is financial protection, especially critical illness and life insurance. I had critical illness coverage, and having that has taken a huge weight off my mind financially. If I reach a point where I can no longer work, I don't have to worry as much about our mortgage because we've been able to address that. I also think there needs to be an increased focus on early diagnosis and cancer services because the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the greater the opportunity for successful treatment. From my experience, having financial protection in place can make an enormous difference because it removes one major source of stress during an already incredibly difficult time.

Are you an advocate or coach within the cancer community?

I'm actually a GP, so I'm a doctor, and I try to use my experience and medical background to share information that is medically backed and scientifically researched. Since my diagnosis, I've also become more interested in the holistic and complementary side of care. I'm continuing with my chemotherapy and immunotherapy and wouldn't stop those treatments, but I've found it interesting to learn more about supplements, acupuncture, kinesiology, mental well-being, diet, and other complementary approaches. As a doctor, I wouldn't necessarily have discouraged patients from exploring these things if they felt they benefited from them, but I probably wouldn't have thought about them as deeply as I do now. Being the patient has made me want to explore the things within my control that might help me feel better and give myself the best possible chance, so those are some of the topics I now talk about and share with others.

As a doctor, did your medical background give you a different perspective on your cancer diagnosis?

Being a doctor has definitely given me a different perspective during both of my diagnoses. The first time I was diagnosed, I had stage two cancer and knew it was considered curative, so my mindset was that I was going to have a really difficult year but would get through treatment and hopefully move forward. Unfortunately, the cancer eventually returned, and this time the situation is different. I think being a doctor meant I understood secondary cancer and what the diagnosis meant more quickly than some of my friends and family did. I understood that it wasn't considered curative and that, although secondary cancer can sometimes be managed for years, it was a very different diagnosis. Having to explain that reality to the people I love wasn't easy, but my medical background helped me process what was happening. The experience has also made me much more aware of my mortality, and while I'm certainly not grateful to have cancer, I appreciate the awareness it has given me to live my life more fully. I can spend meaningful time with my friends and family, make a memory box for my son, say the things I want to say, and be proactive about how I use my time. We never know what is going to happen in life, and while I wouldn't call having cancer a privilege, having this awareness has encouraged me to make the most of the time and experiences I have now.