After finishing active cancer treatment, Tracey enrolled in a PINC & STEEL group exercise class to rebuild strength and confidence. Here, she shares what the program meant to her:

Reflecting on her first day at the PINC & STEEL group class, Tracey says:

“It helped me re-enter the world, away from the cancer treatment system that I had been so deeply immersed in. When my treatments finished, I had no confidence, I felt people were looking at me with pity, I was embarrassed, no hair, weak, ongoing symptoms etc. The first day I turned up to the PINC & STEEL class, I met other people like me at different stages and with different cancer stories, I felt almost normal. As the weeks progressed a gentle kinship developed, though I felt alone before, I became stronger and my confidence flourished- I started to believe I had a future."

On why cancer rehabilitation support matters after treatment:

"It is important for people to know that after treatment you are shattered, you are not the same person you were before cancer, and you won’t be the same person after the treatments. I was curled up like a ball of string- imagine not having any support to unravel and get moving again. I so needed this support and direction.”

~ Tracey

This kind of support is made possible by funds raised through our Dry July community, helping keep programmes like PINC & STEEL free and accessible to those who need them most.