Warrington mum who survived cancer embarks on fund-raising marathon to raise awareness

A MOTHER-OF-TWO from Warrington, who was diagnosed with a life-threatening tumour after thinking she had pulled a muscle in her shoulder is embarking on a fund-raising marathon in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Beckii Corbett, 29, received the devastating news when scans revealed a cancerous growth on her left upper arm bone – also known as the humerus – which connects the shoulder to the elbow.
At one point the tumour grew so large that the pressure snapped her collarbone and she had to receive emergency treatment.
Thanks to surgery and chemotherapy, she is now cancer-free but has permanently lost the use of her left arm and can no longer lift it.
She is celebrating her survival by taking part in Cancer Research UK’s latest fundraising campaign, Walk All Over Cancer, two years after her initial diagnosis, which will involve walking 10,000 steps a day with her son Charlie and family dog Rolo every day in the month of March.
Beckii who lives in Fairfield & Howley, first noticed a pain in her left shoulder in April 2019 – but put it down to her hectic lifestyle. She was busy looking after her two young children at the time, planning a dream wedding to husband Mark, and working full-time as a nursery nurse.
She shrugged it off as a pulled muscle, but over the next few months the pain began to worsen, until it eventually reached the point where she was unable to extend her arms behind her back to fasten her bra strap.
She said: “I’d noticed a niggling pain for a while, but it was only when it reached the point where I couldn’t get my hands around my back to fasten my bra, that I realised I needed to get checked out. The pain was almost unbearable.”
At first, doctors also thought that Beckii had strained the muscle – but an x-ray and further scans revealed a tumour growing in the humerus bone. In September 2019, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – a type of bone cancer that typically occurs in children and young adults
Beckii, who is mum to Charlie, 8, and Eliza, 3, said: “I’ll never forgot the moment I was told ‘it’s cancer’. In that instant, my world was turned upside down.
“My first question was, ‘could I pass it on to the kids?’ Thankfully the doctors explained that it wasn’t genetic, so the children should be okay. But my second question was, ‘am I going to die?’ And sadly they couldn’t answer that one.
“I was absolutely heartbroken and telling my eldest child was probably the hardest conversation I’ve ever had.
“Here I was happily married, with two beautiful children and a job I loved. I was in prime of my life and cancer was the last thing I was expecting. I was just so angry with myself for ignoring the symptoms for all that time.”
Beckii was referred for immediate chemotherapy treatment at the Christie Hospital in Manchester and was also warned that her arm may need to be amputated.
She said: “My hair started coming out in massive clumps soon after starting the chemotherapy. That was probably one of the hardest parts of treatment. Every time I moved, it just fell to the floor.
“I even felt embarrassed standing by the window in my own house. I was so worried that people might peer through at me from the street and see me with a bald head.”
Beckii also developed sepsis during her first chemotherapy cycle and was rushed to A&E at Warrington Hospital for urgent treatment. It was here that she asked her husband Mark to shave her head.

She said: “My husband shaved my hair off while I was lying in the hospital bed. I just couldn’t deal with it, so I told him to whip it all off with a razor.”
Her body also started becoming increasingly weaker. At one point, the pressure from the tumour even snapped Beckii’s collarbone as she moved to get out of the hospital bed.
She said: “There was an almighty crunching noise as the pressure of the tumour literally crushed the bone. It was like a nightmare.”
After three months of chemotherapy to reduce the growth, Beckii was eventually told that surgery could be an option to remove the remaining cancer. However, it was likely that this would require full amputation of her arm from the shoulder downwards.
Beckii said: “I went into that surgery not knowing whether I’d wake up with an arm. It was frightening, but I was in full survival mode and was prepared to do whatever it took to beat this disease and to be there for my husband and kids. I was so drained after the chemotherapy that I just wanted the cancer out for good.”
In January 2020, she had painstaking surgery at a specialist bone hospital in Shropshire to remove her entire humerus.
Thankfully, the operation was a success and amputation wasn’t required. But Beckii has been left with no movement in her left arm, as she has no bone between her shoulder and elbow.
Beckii said: “It was very touch and go. If the surgeon knocked a nerve or blood vessel during the surgery, that would be it and my entire arm would need to but cut off. One wrong move and it could have been so different – it was a bit like a game of ‘Operation’.
“I went into panic mode after waking up from the surgery as my heart rate was going through the roof. I’m a drama queen at the best of times but I was just so relieved when I realised that my arm was still there.”
Getting cancer diagnosed at an early stage, when treatment is more likely to be successful can make a real difference, and Beckii is encouraging other people to seek help if they notice any changes to their body that are unusual for them.
She said: “If I’d gone to the doctor when I first noticed the pain, I might still have a full working arm. That’s why I want to encourage anyone who notices any changes in their body to get checked out and seek help from their doctor.
“At the end of the day, I’m very lucky to be alive. I’m coming to terms with the fact that I can no longer lift my arm. But I have accepted who I am and don’t let it stop me from living me life.
“From making a cup of tea to tying me shoelaces – I may only have one working arm now, but I’ve found new ways to do everyday things and am definitely living my life to the full.”
Now Beckii is inviting people to sign up and get sponsored to walk 10,000 steps every day in March to support Cancer Research UK’s life-saving mission.
She is taking part in the challenge with her son Charlie and the family dog Rolo. Together they will be walking 10,000 steps a day, every day, throughout the month of March.
Beckii said: “It’s thanks to research, I’m still here today, I still laugh every day and can go on spending time with my amazing husband, children, family and friends.
“Having cancer makes you cherish the little things in life so much more. Last Christmas I cried at every present the kids opened. I just felt so grateful to be there with them for those special moments and couldn’t help imaging how different things might have been.
“I’m living proof of how research saves lives – and that’s why I’m encouraging everyone in Warrington to step up to the Walk All Over Cancer challenge this March.
“We want to do something to give back and make sure that research goes on to help more people survive this devastating disease. I want to give back to those who helped me and make people realise that there can be hope in these situations.”
By raising vital funds, people across Warrington could help to get vital research back on track after the impact of COVID-19.
There are plenty of positive health benefits too. As well as helping towards a healthy body weight, taking part could also take a little weight off the mind. Regular walking is a great stress-reliever and can assist with mental wellbeing by improving mood and sleep.
Anna Taylor, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for the North West, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Beckii and her wonderful family for choosing to support Cancer Research UK and for taking part in Walk All Over Cancer.
“We all want 2021 to have a more positive outlook. So why not give yourself a boost by committing to get more active and having an achievable goal to aim for – all in aid of a good cause. Signing up to Walk All Over Cancer is a safe and simple way to show support during these challenging times. Plus, knowing you’ll be helping to save lives is the ultimate motivation.”
Ten thousand steps is equal to about five miles, based on the average person’s strides, so by the end of March participants will have clocked up more than 150 miles.
That’s quite a challenge for some, but adopting small changes that you can stick to can really add up – whether it’s taking part in conference calls on the go, exploring local beauty spots or treating the dog to a month of extra-long walks.
Keeping check on the number of steps taken each day is a great way to create a sense of achievement and it’s easy to do with smartphone apps, pedometers and wearable activity trackers available to help. Walk All Over Cancer is now integrated with FitBit, so that participants can automatically publish their step count on their fundraising page throughout the month.
Anna Taylor added: “With around 42,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year in the North West*, Cancer Research UK is working every day to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.
“The truth is COVID-19 has slowed us down, but we will never stop striving to create better treatments for tomorrow. Every step our scientists take towards beating cancer relies on our supporters. That’s why we need everyone to step up to Walk All Over Cancer.”
Cancer Research UK currently funds almost half of all publicly funded cancer research in the UK and is the only UK charity fighting more than 200 types of cancer.
Before the pandemic, it was able to spend over £30 million in the North West last year on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.
To sign up and receive a free fundraising pack, with tips and ideas to help with the challenge, visit cruk.org/walkallover.
Participants are being encouraged to use #WalkAllOverCancer and tag @CR_UK when sharing their challenge on social media.