
Slough cancer survivor's 'surreal' meeting at Buckingham Palace
"Just being in that room and the number of different charities that were there and represented, many of them who were quite small and they don't have... the huge [funding] pots to be able to provide support, but are still being able to do extraordinary things," she said."To stand alongside them was just such a joy."She said the King looked "really, really good", adding: "It's amazing that even with a cancer diagnosis he's still giving so much back of his time."
'Emotional toil'
She said her cancer diagnosis turned her world upside down."The emotional toil is what really just takes things over the edge," she said.She said charities such as Target Ovarian Cancer had provided valuable support for her, and now, she wanted to give back and raise awareness of the cancer, which affects around 7,400 woman a year in the UK."I'm on a journey of raising awareness so more women are aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for, which hopefully will help save lives," she said."If one woman picks up on that, understands what the signs and symptoms are and goes to her GP and pushes them to do tests, then that's a good day at the office... I have taken that pain, the pain of that journey, and tried to turn it into purpose."
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
7 days ago
- BBC News
Bristol group tackles menopause 'taboo' in South Asian women
A community group is encouraging conversations about menopause in the South Asian community in a bid to tackle the stigma around its effects. South Asian Voices Bristol CIC has launched its 'Empowering women through menopause' project with help from the National Lottery's Community group was founded by vlogger Sheetal Jethwa who struggled with the impact the menopause had on her own said talking about symptoms and the knock-on effect on mental health was "often seen as a weakness" in her community and she hopes the group can help women with similar experiences. Ms Jethwa said she struggled after a thyroid operation in said she was "crying uncontrollably all the time" and even thought about taking her own 45, she wants to get people in her community talking about the menopause - a subject she said was "very much a taboo".She said: "Reaching out to others saved my life and I wish I had done it sooner so now I want to help women who need that support."Ms Jethwa thinks some South Asian women may have "inherited trauma" when it comes to opening up about menopause. The group has been commissioned to do six podcasts and also workshops focusing on the impact of will also hold a speaker's panel on Saturday at Easton Community Jethwa said she had received "really amazing feedback" from the group's early workshops and she hoped the pilot project would continue to be panel event is free and open to anyone with an interest in learning about the menopause.


The Herald Scotland
11-08-2025
- The Herald Scotland
'Sandie Peggie tribunal has escalated campaign against trans people'
Ms Peggie, who has worked as a accident and emergency nurse for more than 30 years, was placed on special leave from her role at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife after Dr Upton made an allegation of bullying, harassment and patient safety concerns. Ms Peggie had complained about having to share a women's changing room with Dr Upton on Christmas Eve 2023 and has taken an employment tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Upton claiming she was subject to unlawful harassment under the Equality Act. The Dundee Tribunal Hearing Centre last month heard that Ms Peggie had describing Dr Upton as a "weirdo" and referring to the medic as "it". READ MORE: Asked about her use of language towards Dr Upton, Mr Greer said: "This is just one example of the wider onslaught against the basic dignity of trans people in this country right now." He added: "This tribunal has escalated what was already an absolutely shameful campaign against trans people. Putting aside the specifics of this tribunal, there is clearly an attempt to force trans people out of public life in Scotland. "It's not isolated just to Scotland but I think we have a particular problem...I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for trans people to go out, live their daily lives, to go shopping, go to the office if they don't even know if they can use the toilet in a shopping centre. "It's not just trans people who are being hurt by this, although that's what we should focus on. We are seeing anyone who doesn't conform to traditional ideas of gender being attacked. "A woman who was not trans was forced to leave a shop because she used the women's toilet and someone else was convinced she was have we got to a point where if a woman doesn't conform to a very traditional idea of femininity she is to be attacked and forced to leave a toilet in a shop." Sandie Peggie, left, and Dr Beth Upton (Image: PA) At the hearing, Ms Peggie admitted some remarks made about Dr Upton in a WhatsApp chat were derogatory and demeaning, but added they were only made between a small group of friends. She denied waging a "vindictive campaign" against Dr Upton. Documents presented in evidence to the tribunal also show Ms Peggie making racist comments in an online group chat mocking the victims of the Pakistan floods in 2022, which killed over 1,700. Between June and October 2022, monsoon floods devastated Pakistan, submerging one third of the South Asian nation, leaving millions homeless and injuring nearly 13,000. The official death toll was 1,739. She said the 'distasteful" posts were sent as an attempt at 'dark humour' has strongly denied accusations of racism. The nurse also denied evidence from two colleagues that she said previously said she wanted to post bacon through the letterbox of a mosque in Kirkcaldy. Ms Peggie also admitted to the use of the racist slur 'P***', but defended this saying the term was commonplace where she lived and grew up in Glenrothes, Fife Mr Greer told The Herald: "The kind of racist comments that Sandie Peggie was found to have said to colleagues are wildly unacceptable." He said the terms Ms Peggie used to describe Dr Upton was "unquestionably bigoted and hateful language". The Nursing and Midwifery Council told The Herald that Section 20 of its code of conduct members of the profession should "uphold the reputation of your profession at all times". A spokeswoman said: "It says that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must treat people fairly without discrimination, bullying or harassment. It also states that individuals should be aware of how their behaviour can affect and influence the behaviour of others, be sure not to express personal beliefs inappropriately and use all forms of communication responsibly. "The Code applies in both a person's professional and personal life - professionals on our register must 'uphold the reputation of [their] profession at all times' to help maintain the public's trust and confidence." Responding to Mr Greer's comments, Susan Smith, of For Women Scotland (FWS), which has intervened in the case, said: "Sandie Peggie is not on trial here - any poor taste comments are completely irrelevant to her right to a single-sex changing room. If human rights are to mean anything, they have to be universal. "Some might think that "weirdo" is a mild way to describe a man who insists on stripping off in a room of women who did not consent to his presence. We note that Mr Greer has never condemned the vile threats trans activists target at women. Indeed, on previous occasions he has defended some truly vile groups saying that he "supports trans people not transphobes". Once again, it seems, women's words are painted as worse than men's violence." The tribunal will resume on September 1, for two days of oral submissions summarising both sides of the case. The three person panel will then take time to consider a written ruling - a process that could take some time. Ms Peggie was cleared of gross misconduct following disciplinary proceedings by NHS Fife - a decision announced on 16 July, the same day the tribunal resumed after a five month pause in proceedings. The nurse had faced allegations of misconduct, failures of patient care and misgendering Dr Upton. NHS Fife said an internal hearing found there was "insufficient evidence to support a finding of misconduct". NHS Fife confirmed no formal sanction had been imposed on the nurse and that the review panel decided a "facilitated reflective practice discussion" would be appropriate.


BBC News
06-08-2025
- BBC News
Stretched surgery in Newbury can still use portacabins
A stretched GP surgery can use portacabins in its car park for another three years as a new base for it is built. Eastfield House in St John's Road, Newbury, was given permission by councillors to move to a new site close to Newbury College in January. But other work to confirm that surface water drainage can be properly managed at that new site has not been finished so that application has not yet been formally approved. The surgery was built 33 years ago to support 8,000 patients. It currently has 15,500 patients and that is expected to grow to 28,000 in the next decade due to nearby development. A planning application for the temporary buildings was first given permission in June 2022 to address what the surgery said was "a critical need for additional accommodation".It said it was under "severe pressure" to maintain portacabins provide the surgery with two additional clinical consulting rooms and space for administration. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.