Mum who battled cancer set to take on 100km trek with celebrity Giovanna Fletcher

After being told the devastating news that she had breast cancer at the age of 29, Emma faced months of gruelling treatment.

She thought the worst was behind her but then nearly 10 years after her first diagnosis, a swelling in her groin revealed cancerous cells in two lymph nodes.

Emma, 42, from Poulton, said: "You feel you have come through the other side.

"But then 10 years later you get hit with it that it is somewhere else.

“My son was only two the first time I was diagnosed. It’s a difficult time.

"And this time was harder as I’m older.

“But my family are really supportive; they’ve kept me going.”

Now 18 months after finishing her latest treatment, Emma is preparing to take on an epic challenge in aid of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel.

With celebrity Giovanna Fletcher at the helm, Emma is joining a 120-strong group of trekkers who will take on 100km of the world famous Hadrian's Wall route over five days starting on June 10.

"It’s a 100km trek along Hadrian’s Wall over five days, walking up to 25km each day,” Emma added.

“I was nervous but now I’m really looking forward to it. I’m really excited.

“I wanted to do the trek to raise awareness, to encourage people to check their chests.

“I don’t know anyone on the trek, but we’ve got a WhatsApp group and everyone is very friendly.

“They’re all like-minded people and some have been through similar experiences.

Emma, who is a customer relations manager for a tour operator, praises her family – including 15-year-old son Ethan, husband Ross and her parents - for supporting her throughout her cancer treatments.

She said: "I was 29 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"I first found the lump in 2011; I was just feeding my son in the chair.

“I had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was classed as a triple negative so I was tested for the BRCA gene, and found I had the BRCA 1 gene.

"The chances are so high of a reoccurence so I made the decision to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction.

"Then in 2016 I had a partial hysterectomy.

"I thought everything was back to normal after all of that.

“Then during the first year of lockdown, I was in the garden and felt something was swollen in my groin.

“I coudn’t see the doctor because of Covid restrictions so had to explain over the phone. They thought it was a hernia, but one month later is was still there so I was referred for an ultrasound.

"Two enlarged lymph nodes contained cancerous cells. There was no guarantee it wouldn’t spread or grow so I had more chemo and a 3cm lymph node removed.

“Touch wood all my scans and blood tests are fine now.

“The oncologist and the team have been brilliant."

To support Emma’s fund-raising, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Emma-Davidson40?fbclid=IwAR19RWKoG4NZHDAoCQXiIIHt7RAhEepXpKtGxfiG6yTl2SnciFQpLxOJsxs