Tumi Westwood from Solihull believed one of her milk ducts was blocked while feeding her nine month old son Rory. But six months later, when she visited the doctors, she discovered the lump was in fact breast cancer which had begun to spread.
To celebrate her successful treatment Tumi is taking part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life to raise funds for the charity that helped develop two of the three drugs she received.
And she’s joining celebrities calling on people to submit their favourite songs to Cancer Research UK’s ultimate Race for Life playlist.
The songs nominated will be played at Race for Life events across the UK this spring. Tumi joins winner of season three of the hit BBC One show The Traitors, Leanne Quigley, Strictly star Amy Dowden and broadcaster Jamie Theakston who has recently been given the all-clear from cancer, among others. Leanne has added ‘Cruel Summer’ by G Flip, with Jamie choosing ‘Loose Yourself’ by Eminem and Amy Dowden picking ‘I didn’t know my own strength’ by Whitney Houston.
Tumi has chosen ‘Thunderstruck’ by ACDC which was played at her wedding to partner Roysten who proposed on a romantic trip to Amsterdam to celebrate the end of her treatment in May 2022.
The song will be on Tumi’s Race playlist when she takes part in Coventry’s Race for Life Pretty Muddy on Saturday, May 17.
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with headline sponsor Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, is an inspiring series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research.
“I’ve got so much to live for thanks to cancer research,” said Tumi, who married partner Royston in July last year. “Without it I wouldn’t be here.”
Tumi said she was shocked to be diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2021, because she thought the lump she could feel was ‘nothing serious’.
“I felt a lump, but I just dismissed it thinking it was a swollen milk duct,” added Tumi, who works as a league assistant for Power League. “I was breast feeding my nine month old baby at the time but, after about six months, I went to the GP because it was getting worse and was immediately sent for tests.
“I was completely shocked when I got the results because I really didn’t think it was going to be anything serious. The worst bit was waiting for extra scan results to see if it had spread. When I found out it had gone into my lymph nodes I couldn’t eat or sleep or think about anything beyond my diagnosis. In the end I had to stay positive for my family. One of the best things I learned is that it’s no good worrying about the things you have no control over - you just have to get on with it.”
Tumi was given a mastectomy followed by a chemotherapy treatment called ECT – a combination of three drugs including Cyclophosphamide and Docetaxel which Cancer Research UK scientists helped to develop.
“Even though I cut my hair short to prepare for the worst, I completely underestimated the effects of chemo,” she recalled. “Treatment was painful and would wipe me out to the point where even talking would hurt. I lost my sense of taste, but Royston helped massively by learning to blend fresh fruit and vegetables. He also made me a playlist of our favourite songs to help me cope which included our song Thunderstruck.
“We’d been together for 11 years and had two children, but I’d dropped so many hints about marriage that I’d just about given up,” said Tumi, mum to Jorja (21), Jacob (12) and Rory (5). “I think my cancer treatment changed his mind set to being much more spontaneous. It’s definitely given us both a new appreciation for life and our wedding day was the best celebration we could have wished for.”
Just three days before breast reconstruction surgery and weeks before her wedding, Tumi’s friends surprised her with a hen party at last year’s Coventry Race for Life Pretty Muddy. She ran the mud-splattered 5k obstacle course – dressed in a wedding veil and tutu.
“I didn’t want a hen party involving lots of bars so one of my friends signed me up to do Pretty Muddy in secret,” said Tumi. “By the time I found out that’s what they’d done they’d already raised £600 and we managed to get it up to more than £1,000.
“It was an absolutely brilliant day and ringing the bell at the end of the race was very emotional because I hadn’t been able to ring the bell after treatment due to COVID.”
The 46-year-old mum of three will be joined at Coventry Race for Life in Stoneleigh Park this year by her son Jacob who also supported her through treatment.
She’s calling on people of all ages and abilities to join them as well as add their own songs to the ultimate playlist.
Research commissioned for Race for Life has found the majority of adults in the UK who listen to music find it motivates them when they exercise (92%) and that music makes them feel that they have a boost of energy when doing so. (91%)* The playlist aims to inspire people to join Race for Life and provide some extra motivation for those who may be training, with the message that every step taken helps to fund life-saving cancer research.
“I’m looking forward to doing Pretty Muddy with Jacob because he’s been a rock throughout my treatment,” added Tumi. “At the very start when my hair was being cut, Jacob held my hand crying silent tears and said, ‘you’re beautiful mummy, you’re so very beautiful’. Then he would leave little prayer notes around the house for me to find.
“I hope my story will encourage people to Race for Life and add their song to the playlist because it’s a brilliant, positive way for people to come together and raise funds to enable people like me to be around for their families.”
Every year around 33,700 people are diagnosed with cancer in the West Midlands.
Paula Young, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for the West Midlands, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Tumi and her friends and family for their support.
“Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime** but all of us can support the research that will beat it. Every pound raised supports our life-saving work, which has helped double cancer survival in the UK over the last 50 years.”
Since it began in 1994, more than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life, contributing millions of pounds towards life-saving research.
Cancer Research UK funded scientists led the development of the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine, which is expected to prevent almost 90 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK. The charity was a key player in the development of radiotherapy which now benefits millions of cancer patients worldwide.
To find out more and submit a song to the Plays for Life playlist visit: race-for-life-playsforlife
To enter, visit raceforlife.org