A MILFORD woman who has been recognised for her bravery in surviving and dealing with cancer will speak about her experience in a ground breaking new Podcast series to raise awareness of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Nikki Bradley (35) is set to feature on the ‘Gold Ribbon Conversations Podcast’, which focuses on the lived experiences of people affected by Childhood Cancer.
The podcast is being launched to coincide with the inaugural CAYAS Childhood, Adolescent,Young Adult and Survivorship Conference in Ireland on September 11.
Nikki Bradley was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare childhood cancer diagnosis, in 2002, at just 16 years of age. She has had two hip replacements but it has not held her back as she has taken on the four Irish mountain peaks challenge, completing it in 32 hours.
She travelled to Iceland in February 2016 to scale the Sólheimajökull glacier and also completed the ‘Fan Dance’ – a 24km trek through the Brecon Beacons in Wales. She completed all of these challenges on crutches.
“I think this Podcast series and the inaugural CAYAS Conference are so incredibly important,” she said.
“Both will focus on the vastly differing experiences people have of Cancer; people like me who are survivors, parents, people who have sadly been bereaved; no one’s experience is entirely the same and it is crucial that all the different perspectives are heard. Both the Gold Ribbon Conversations Podcast and CAYAS are the perfect platforms. It is so important that people who are grappling with a Cancer diagnosis are given as much information as possible and are aware of the numerous supports that are in place to help them on an ongoing basis.”
She said there were huge advances being made in Research and this offered real hope for people.
Nikki believes that the Gold Ribbon Conversations Podcast and the CAYAS Conference are timely given the various challenges thrown up by the Pandemic.
Describing how it has impacted her, Nikki believes that Covid-19 has exacerbated the difficulties a cancer diagnosis presents to patients.
“Covid has presented me with a whole new set of challenges. It set me back a lot as I couldn’t get on with my usual training and this affected me physically, emotionally and mentally. Physically my pain went through the roof and mentally I definitely had some dark moments. I know I’m not on my own on this, Covid has affected all of us to some degree or another but I’m passionate about those grappling with Cancer and that is why I’m speaking about the Podcast and CAYAS Conference as both offer such opportunities for information and a spirit of togetherness”.
She is candid about her prognosis, acknowledging that she faces losing her leg as a result of Ewing’s Sarcoma. While this “terrifies” her she is hopeful she will meet this eventual challenge head on, like all the others she has risen to.
“I am now working with engineers in Birmingham who are looking at ways they can create a custom made extension for my leg in a bid to give me a few more years with my right leg,” said Nikki.
“I know I will lose it one day, amputation is a certainty and while this is a terrifying prospect, other people have come though it with flying colours. Ultimately getting sick was the making of me. It gave me an outlook on life that I otherwise may not have had,” said Nikki.
Listen to the podcasts from September 3 and the CAYAS Conference takes place from 10am to 4pm on Saturday September 11. Register for free online https://www.cayasireland.ie
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