Tracey MacNamara, a nurse from Rhiwbina, was diagnosed with breast cancer after attending her first routine screening, despite having experienced no symptoms. The 60-year-old is now preparing to run the Cardiff Half Marathon to raise money for Cancer Research Wales.
Shock diagnosis after routine screening
Seven years ago, Tracey attended her first routine breast cancer screening. Working in a healthcare setting and knowing she had none of the symptoms, she thought she would be fine, but she was diagnosed straightaway.
"I really was not expecting it because I had no symptoms at all," she said. "Being at the other end of that news was very unexpected."
"It was just my first routine screening that I'd been invited to. It was very very shocking and from diagnosis to surgery it was literally three weeks so you have no time to even think about it or let it settle in or really worry about it."
Treatment and long-term medication
Tracey had surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Now, she is on long-term medication which she needs to take for a period of 10 years.
"I had treatment very very quickly which was amazing," she said.
From singing to running
As a member of Cardiff rock choir, Tracey is used to being at the Cardiff Half Marathon each year, usually singing to athletes as they head around Roath Recreation Ground. This year, she has decided to swap her microphone for running trainers and tackle the race itself for Cancer Research Wales.
"We always sing at the Cardiff Half so during that last year I thought why can't I do this again," she said. "I signed up and did a couch to 5k and it's progressed from there and made me think yes I can do this again."
"I was also turning 60 this year so that was a milestone birthday and I thought why can't I do this again. Here we are this time a year later and I won't be singing this year, I'll be running."
Adapting training to side effects
Having run the Cardiff Half Marathon before, last in 2013, Tracey has experience running 13.1 miles. However, this year has come with different challenges due to her medication and the fact she's now slightly older.
Tracey is now having to contend with the side effects from her medication which cause joint pain. "The joint pain was partly why I stopped running for a while but I then decided that would probably be one of the good things I could do for my joints, to start running again. That's what I've been doing for the past year."
"I've had to adapt my training, I do a run-walk strategy to protect my joints and it works for me so that's what I'm going to be what I do on Sunday."
Tracey has even been considering stopping to join her rock choir friends for a quick song along the way. "I was going to stop and sing. It was serious but I know they will be around mile nine and a half and I think that by then I'll probably be ready to just focus and keep going. If I stop I might not start again."
She continued: "I'll be running in my hometown which is amazing. It is very scenic and lovely. The support is amazing the whole way around and that really keeps you going."
"This charity is close to my heart and it's in October which is breast cancer awareness month. I decided to do it one last time."
"Just because I've had cancer doesn't mean I can't run again."
