As a retired haematology nurse, one of this year’s Courage on the Catwalk models knows only too well how vital the support of Friends of Anchor is to the patients in the north-east of Scotland.
After all, Angela Ritchie has been looking after other people since the age of 34, and has cared for hundreds of patients at the charity’s unit in Aberdeen throughout her career.
However, her life has gone full circle after she herself was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma in 2014, following a spell of feeling unwell and bloated.
Mrs Ritchie, 61, who regularly visits Spain and was there when she decided to investigate further, spoke frankly about how her life had changed since her diagnosis.
She said: “I hadn’t been feeling great for four or five months, so I went to a private hospital in Marbella and they carried out tests, which revealed the cause of the bloating was a tumour resting on my adrenal gland.”
Further examination was subsequently conducted and the results were given to her while she was still in Spain.
They were written in Spanish on a CD.
She added: “I put the CD into my laptop and opened the file. It doesn’t matter which language it is written in, cancer is cancer. I was on a plane home the next day.”
By this stage, Angela had retired from her job and returning to the Anchor unit as a patient was a daunting prospect.
She said: “It felt awful to go back under those circumstances. I had looked after patients in the ward for years and it was a shock to be on the other side of it.
“But the unit is a fabulous place to be if you have to have treatment, and I trust everyone there and the treatment I am receiving.
Mrs Ritchie recently began a two-year treatment plan of antibody therapy after spending four years on a ‘watch and wait’ trial.
Her message to others facing a diagnosis reflects her upbeat, practical attitude to dealing with whatever life throws in her direction.
“Life is not a rehearsal, you just have to live it. Stay positive, and do your research – and stay informed,” she advised.
However, while she is a strong advocate of carrying out research into medical conditions, she revealed her husband Mike was a little clueless when she initially shared her diagnosis.
“He said ‘Thank goodness it’s not cancer’ – and I could have hit with him a frying pan!”
She told this story with a laugh, perfectly reflecting her dark sense of humour which has left her fellow models in stitches at every COTC rehearsal.
Mr Ritchie, and the couple’s two sons Michael and Billy, as well as their grandchildren, Taylor, Dylan and Ellie, have been a strong support system for Mrs Ritchie, as she goes through treatment.
So has her good friend and fellow nurse Lynsey Dalgarno, and daughter-in-law Niki Ritchie, all of whom encouraged her to apply to take part.
She added: “I was pretty gobsmacked when I got the call to say I was going to be a model, but I was secretly pleased and I had a wee giggle to myself.
“I am looking forward to raising awareness and money. The money raised is for the comfort of patients, but also for research, which is essential.
“You just can’t go forward without it and I would urge everyone to support it.”
