Help Shay fight for her health

Hello. My name is Georgia and I am fundraising for the legend who is Shay Frost.

Shay is committed to raising awareness not just about cancer but about the journey having cancer and fighting it takes you on. Having cancer is not cheap. Having cancer is not kind. I want to ease a little of the burden for a lovely soul and I hope you will want to do the same.

This is her story:

I’ve always led an active life, eating reasonably well and never imagined that I’d have to face something like this, as most people probably do. After a long day of work, I was feeling some back pain, which is common for a hairdresser. I asked my husband to massage my lower back, and as I was lying on my side, my hand happened to rest on my right breast. That’s when I felt a lump. I hadn’t felt this before, but for some reason, I decided to get it checked out anyway.

I was hesitant at first, almost backing out because the cost of the ultrasound was high. But after a series of ultrasounds and biopsies, I received a call from the doctor’s office. They asked me to come in for my results and to bring a support person. The moment I heard this, I felt my heart drop, and an overwhelming sense of dread washed over me.

On October 31, 2024, I went to the appointment, still holding on to the hope that it wouldn’t be cancer. But then the doctor told me, “You have stage 2 invasive breast cancer.” In that moment, I thought, “Oh my god, I’m going to die,” and I couldn’t stop crying. My mind raced to thoughts of my boys—whether I would see them grow up. I was consumed by fear and uncertainty.

I was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive breast cancer, specifically the “positive-positive-negative” type. This was the beginning of a whirlwind of blood tests, MRIs, PET scans, specialist consultations, and more.

In November, I had a mastectomy of my right breast, along with the removal of lymph nodes. Three of the nodes came back positive for cancer. In early January, I had surgery to have a port installed in my chest, and two days later, I began chemotherapy.

The journey has been one of the hardest, cruellest challenges I’ve ever faced. Going from someone who was once fit and active to feeling so ill most of the time has been a difficult adjustment. During treatment, I developed frostbite on my hands from using ice mitts to help with neuropathy, a vital step to protect my hands, since I’m a hairdresser and my hands are my livelihood. This setback meant more time for healing, which only added to the struggle. Being so unwell has limited me to working only a few days in my salon, but I’m incredibly grateful for those days when I can.

After my second round of chemotherapy, I began losing my hair. It came out quickly, in handfuls, multiple times a day. I tried to hold off as long as I could, but eventually, I knew I had to shave it off. This was one of the hardest moments for me. My sister helped me with it, and while it’s just hair that will grow back, it felt like losing a part of my identity and confidence.

I’ve just completed round 4 of chemotherapy, and in two weeks, I’ll begin my next round, which will last 12 weeks, with weekly treatments. After that, I’ll have a 4–6-week break, followed by radiation.