Inspirational mum from Strabane helping others following devastating diagnosis

Sarah Harrison has breast cancer: A horrible, life threatening, debilitating disease. And the mother-of-two recently found out that for her, it is incurable.

However, determined to do something with the time she has remaining, Sarah has decided to not lie down to it and has kickstarted a new hub for people who, just like her, are living with terminal illnesses.

A Strabane native, Sarah grew up with her parents, brother, and sister in Iona Villas before heading off 20 years ago and settling in the north of England, where she became a marketing executive and met her husband, Chris. They live happily in North Sheilds with daughter Alice-Jane and son Charlie.

Dubbed ‘Sarah’s Star,’ the new initiative aims to create a hub for those requiring palliative care, offering holistic medicine such as reiki, yoga, and beauty treatments alongside counselling groups for those suffering, family groups offering support to loved ones and opportunity to record last wishes or messages to their loved ones to be passed on when the time is right. In future, the hope is to offer services like music and art therapy, afternoon teas and reflexology.

DIAGNOSIS

Sarah was initially diagnosed with the disease back in 2016. Following seven months of treatment, she battled back to send the cancer into remission and had gone back to work and everything seemed back to normal. However, in February 2019 Sarah received a new blow finding out that the cancer had returned.

“My world was turned absolutely upside down by the news,” the former local lady admitted. “All seemed fine, I was back working and preparing for reconstructive surgery. On a routine scan to make sure my blood vessels were able to take the surgery, the doctor told me ‘something’s not right here’ and I got the news in March of that year that the cancer had returned. This time it was secondary and had spread to my bones and liver.

“The news was devastating, especially as life had seemed on the up before that point.”

And yet, Sarah was determined to face this new challenge with the same vigour and positivity as her first diagnosis.

Although connotations around the word ‘palliative’ are not always positive, Sarah would like to try to dispel the notion. She further admits that not every day is a good one.

“Palliative doesn’t always mean your life is immediately over. On a good day, I am upbeat, energised, and full of hope, ready to make a difference. I feel so grateful for what I have in that moment. However, on the bad day’s feelings of uncertainty creep in.

“I’ve learnt that we are all unique in dealing with our illnesses, there is no right or wrong way but having support and being able to support others can make it more manageable. There are days we may feel we have nothing to give but sharing with someone could help them to realise that they are not alone.

“I’ve seen this illness from both sides, as someone who is living with it and having a family members live with it. My father passed away from oesophageal cancer in 2014. My siblings and I took turns going to see him, just passing each other on the road, unable to sit down and process everything. Not to mention, I have a sizeable family back in Strabane who only receive progress reports. It’s difficult when you can see them.”

One thing Sarah is adamant about; she refuses to use the term ‘terminal’ instead preferring to say that she is ‘living with cancer.’

“Although the children know exactly what’s going on, we don’t use the ‘t’ word at home. Yes, the word exists but there is a finality and stigma associated with it. I’m trying to remove as much of that stigma as I can. I’m now connecting with the children in an entirely new way because of my situation, those little things which make life wonderful.”

Sarah is grateful for the support she has received from local organisations such as the Pink Ladies and Macmillan Care in Derry and Holistic Way situated in Strabane. There’s also a GoFundMe page for donations which currently sits at £2,450. Despite what is to come, Sarah has manged to remain philosophical, saying, “When people are dying there can be this ‘bucket list’ thing; they get caught up in having to do this and that but enjoying those little things can be really special.”