Breast cancer survivor dedicates herself to decade of fundraising to help others

After discovering a lump under her armpit, Sharon Noble, from Stubbington, underwent tests and was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was devastating news for Sharon who had an 11-month-old baby at the time.

‘I went to the doctors and was referred to the Breast Cancer Centre where I was diagnosed with a stage three aggressive form of cancer. It had already spread to my lymph nodes. I had an operation and then underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy – it was 10 months of hell.

‘I lost all my hair, got mouth ulcers and had terrible pains in my joints,’ she said.

It was not her own ordeal but the subsequent death of her aunt which inspired the 53-year-old to dedicate the next decade to raise money to fight the disease.

‘My aunt developed secondary cancer which went into her bones. Everything I feared would happen to me happened to her. At the time I worked for Asda and I threw myself into raising money for their breast cancer charity, Tickled Pink,’ said Sharon.

After taking part in a number of adrenaline-fuelled fundraisers, including sky diving and abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower, Sharon decided she wanted to do something which really challenged her physically.

Sharon said: ‘I decided to take up open water swimming and in 2016 I took part in the Solent Swim from Ryde to the Gosport Lifeboat Station. It should have been a three-and-a-half miles but it ended up being five-and-a-half due to currents.’

After taking part in a half marathon Sharon returned to the ocean in July 2019 to take part in her biggest challenge to date – a Channel swim.

Part of a relay team of four the quartet had to cover 26 miles from Dover to their landing beach at Cap Petit Blanc Nez.

‘To be officially recognised we couldn’t wear wet-suits and I was stung from head to toe by jelly fish. I got so seasick while waiting for my swimming leg,’ said Sharon.

The £1,500 raised took Sharon’s fundraising total to ‘around £15,000 in eight years’.

A large proportion of the money has been donated to the Breast Cancer Haven in Titchfield.

Sharon added: ‘They do such an amazing job. It’s somewhere people can go to feel safe and get the treatment they need.’

She hopes some of the money can be invested into cancer research to help people follow her lead and beat the disease.

‘I’m currently without any cancer but you’re never cancer free – you always fear it will return. If anybody finds anything they feel uncomfortable about they should go straight to their doctor. If I hadn’t then I literally wouldn’t be here today,’ said Sharon.