"You've just got to stay positive" - Michelle's incredibly inspiring story of battling incurable breast cancer

​Michelle Hillard, 42, first visited her GP in 2017 concerned about something in her breast – not a lump per se, but something that just felt “odd”:

Tests initially pointed to it being just thickened breast tissue, but then 12 months later when Michelle went back to her GP with menopause-type symptoms, it was still there and she was referred to a breast specialist at Grimsby Hospital.

A biopsy confirmed breast cancer, which had spread to her lymph nodes, on June 26, 2018.

Michelle had attended the appointment alone not expecting to receive bad news: “I don’t remember the drive home, I was in a complete blur.”

She was told by her oncologist initially that her cancer was curable, and she was scheduled for a full mastectomy in August 2018.

The following month it was found to be secondary breast cancer as she had a tumour in her liver after a CT scan, and she was given six rounds of chemotherapy and 15 rounds of radiotherapy – while her children, Dorrie and Edison, were aged just seven and four respectively.

"The chemo was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” she said, “It was brutal and I felt so ill and lost my hair, but we got through it.”

The treatment did shrink the tumour, but for the chemotherapy to work properly she also had her ovaries removed.

Just ten days after this surgery, she was taking part in the Race 4 Life and also raised £12,000 for the breast services’ Pink Rose suite at Grimsby Hospital with cake stalls and raffles and via a GoFundMe.

Then in January 2020, she had a liver resection to remove the tumour and three months later her scan came back clear, but three months later it was found that the tumour had returned and she had to restart chemotherapy, which she has been continuing up until recently.

But as the various chemotherapies are no longer working and the cancer is sadly incurable, she has now stopped treatment to re-evaluate her options.

"It’s been battle after battle but I’m still here and for that I’m so grateful,” Michelle said.

"But now my options are getting slimmer and the chemotherapy isn’t working because my cancer is getting clever.

"I’ve been in touch with the Christie Centre in Manchester and there’s some new treatment options, but it will cost £25,000 – or £35,000 if I need further treatment – and it’s not a cure, it’s going to prolong my life.”

Now, Michelle’s good friend Lisa Walden has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the treatment and also help the family out financially, as the costs of travelling alone have been crippling for the family.

Lisa said: “Michelle is amazing – she still works and takes the kids to school and cooks, I don’t know how she does it.

"She’s more than just my best friend, she’s really like my sister.”

Lisa initially set the GoFundMe target for Michelle at £5,000, and this was hit within 24 hours.

More targets were set for £8,000, and then £12,000, which have now also been smashed as well.

Michelle works for the communities department of East Lindsey District Council, and she said the council has been fantastic:

"There’s been no pressure from them at all, when I was poorly they’ve had no problems with me missing work for appointments and they’ve been amazing and supportive.”

Michelle, her husband Chris, Lisa, and her daughter Isabel have also got matching lightening tattoos to symbolise strength – Team Lightening Bolt.

Michelle, who was a retained firefighter for Mablethorpe fire service for ten years before having her children, and now lives in Alford, credits keeping positive with keeping her here with her family.

"My breast surgeon said to me that I need to think positively and I thought there’s got to be something in that,” she said.

“You have to take a positive look on it, yes I’ve had plenty of knock-backs and bad news, but I keep saying I must keep going and I make sure I walk 5km with the dog every day and it really does wonders for your mental health.

“That is my outlook, to keep smiling, there’s no point in it getting you down as it does me no good to be negative.”

Michelle said her children are aware of her illness and has tried to keep them involved, and Dorrie helped her to shave her head when she most recently lost her hair.

"I told them when I was having treatment that I’m going into hospital and that I won’t have as long to live as others, but we’re looking at more treatments to see how much longer I have.”

To make a donation to Lisa’s GoFundMe page, visit https://gofund.me/5306a8bc