THE Bude community has rallied behind a good cause after one woman hopes to raise money for a charity that helped save her life.

A frequent visitor to Bude, Julia James is well known to locals, and now the community is supporting her as she endeavours to raise money for Breast Cancer Now while taking on the Pink Ribbon Walk while topless.

Each year, people from across the country come together to walk between 5k and 10k to raise money for vital cancer research charities. This year, Julia will be doing the same, however, she will be proudly walking topless, following a double mastectomy.

Ten years ago Julia was diagnosed with breast cancer. During a routine check up on a cyst in her left breast, Julia was having an ultrasound scan when her consultant requested her right breast be scanned. While this was to see if there were any more cysts, the resulting scan found that Julia actually had breast cancer.

Speaking to the Post she said: “My life then changed for the best part of three years . Lumpectomy within weeks, then chemotherapy for six months, a quick break, and then 25 days of radiotherapy .

“We were told it was an aggressive cancer and one that was hormone based so after a year I had a hysterectomy too. Not much left of me as a woman is how I felt. I had continued seizures and awful reactions to the chemotherapy and vowed I would never put myself through that again.”

After finishing treatment, Julia challenged herself to run 5k to raise money for Cancer Research. Raising close to £1,000, she says “it was my way of saying thank you to Cancer Research for saving my life”.

After battling cancer again some three years later, leading to the removal of her appendix, she once again had Cancer Research to thank.

However, in 2024 Julia found another lump in her breast.

She explained: “We went in for a fast track check up as I'd found a lump in my left breast. Crazily this lump was just fat but the consultant requested a mammogram whilst there, 20 minutes later he requested a more detailed mammogram.

“I knew when my stomach dropped that we'd got breast cancer yet again and then all on the same day had two ultrasounds and six biopsies taken from the breast. Sure enough just before Christmas we found out I had three different types of cancer in one breast.

“Numerous appointments with my consultant resulted that the best possible option was to have my last womanly part of my body taken away.”

Now having overcome three bouts of cancer, Julia is turning her focus to raising money and awareness.

Taking on the Pink Ribbon Walk on May 10, she has already raised more than £2,500 for the charity, with the people of Bude rallying behind her.

Julia concluded: “For me , cancer hasn't killed me. If anything it's made me a stronger, kinder, loving, woman.”

Donations can be made to Julia’s fundraiser via: www.justgiving.com/team/juliasdoublemastectomyjourney