Young cancer patient opens Cancer Research superstore in Swindon

Becky Bowes, 22, cut the ribbon at the official opening ceremony of one of the largest Cancer Research UK superstores at Greenbridge Retail Park.

The superstore - one of the biggest Cancer Research UK stores in the area and with over 14,000 items of clothing, books and household items is more than five times the size of a traditional Cancer Research UK shop.

It has a huge selection of items at discount prices. It is part of a plan to meet customer demand for more accessible stores with easy access and a large amount of parking.

Clothing, homeware, books, toys and electrical goods are all priced at £5 or less, with higher value items, such as furniture, identified with a golden ticket. All profits raised will go towards funding Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work to help more men, women and children survive the disease.

The store can also deliver furniture for a delivery charge and collect furniture free of charge.

Becky says her road to recovery has been difficult. Being diagnosed with stage 3 thyroid cancer at the start of lockdown in March 2020 not long after her twentieth birthday meant being isolated from her family too.

She explained: “Having been diagnosed with thyroid cancer meant being treated on my own due to the pandemic and not being allowed to have anyone with me at hospital. But part of the treatment for thyroid cancer means having radioactive iodine, where I couldn’t be near anyone as it made my body radioactive.

“I was in a special isolation room in hospital with everything from the chairs to my phone being covered in plastic and with no contact with family or friends as the radiation levels are unsafe for others to be exposed to.”

Becky also explained how her invitation to the Cancer Research store opening came about.

She said: "I reached out to Cancer Research UK because I wanted to tell my story more publicly. I was then invited a couple of weeks later to be the guest of honour at this new Greenbridge store’s opening.

“I couldn’t believe it – I was thinking ‘little old me, a guest of honour?!’ This has been mind-blowing.

“I had to take anti-sickness pills this morning because I was so nervous, and I couldn’t believe how many people came along and were queued outside before the store was even opened! It’s been a crazy two years for me, and opening this store has made me feel like a celebrity.”

“I felt it was important to reach out and tell my story because Thyroid cancer is not that well-known. I didn’t even know what a thyroid was until I was diagnosed. To learn how much it does for your body and to not know about that was a bit mad!"

Becky underwent thyroidectomy surgery prior to this treatment due to both a cancerous tumour and lymph nodes being found with some small tumours also found on her lungs.

Undergoing treatment has left its mark on Becky, with fatigue and anxiety levels having to be managed day to day.

Becky added: “I had surgery on my neck, and had two doses of radio-iodine, so I was radioactive for a time. It was interesting – but I didn’t get superpowers!

"Following my surgery my energy levels are very low, and I don’t sleep very well at night, so I don’t feel very rested for much of the time.

“I still have small tumours on my lung, which my consultants are monitoring and I have to take a drug called levothyroxine for the rest of my life as I no longer have a thyroid and it lowers the risk of cancer coming back.”

“Being diagnosed with cancer at a young age hit me like a ton of bricks, I don’t have any cancer in my family, and I do look at other young people and feel bad that I don’t have the energy levels to go out for long periods and enjoy myself.”

Every year 36,300 people are said to be diagnosed with cancer in the South West.

While 2022 marks the charity’s 20^th anniversary, its history dates back to the founding of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in 1902.

During this time, its work has led to more than 50 cancer drugs used across the UK - and around the world - from widely used chemotherapies to new-generation precision treatments.

Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress. But the charity says more funds and supporters are needed to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Now having become a statistic herself, Becky said she wanted to share some advice with members of the public when they check themselves for cancer.

She said: "When you get told to check for lumps, it is always your boobs that you think of first off or if you are male, you check your testacles. Who would usually think to check their neck? I had a massive lump on my neck before I was diagnosed and I didn’t notice, and neither did the people around me.

"I went to see a GP about a rash on my arm, and he happened to notice my neck. If it wasn’t for that GP that day who knows what might have happened."

More volunteers are needed to help run the new Swindon superstore. Flexible hours are available, and anyone interested in volunteering is invited to call in to the shop to find out more.

The shop is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am until 6pm, and Sundays 10.30 am to 4.30pm.

Donations of good-quality clothes, shoes, bags are being taken by the store. Each bag of donated clothes is worth up to £25 - even more if supporters sign up for Gift Aid. The new superstore also offers free collection for donated items of furniture, and has a community space which is free to use.

Manager of the store, Michael Razey said: "It’s been so great to see the store so busy. We had people queuing up from 10am! There’s nothing like this in Swindon on this scale so it’s exciting to open the store here at Greenbridge.

“I think it is going to have a massive impact on the local community and raise some much needed funds for Cancer Research UK. I’m looking so forward to my managerial role here.”

Assistant Manager Olivia Lloyd-James said: "It’s been crazy – but in a good way. We’ve got a really nice team here, made up of people of all ages.

“I’ve worked in a small charity shop before, and also worked for TK Maxx, so it feels like a combination of the two. To now to see a charity store on this scale is amazing!”

More information about Cancer Research UK's shops can be found online at www.cancerresearchuk/shop