After 40 years of yo-yo dieting and two bouts of breast cancer, Susan Davidson finally found a lifestyle change that works for her.
She’s now receiving treatment for the third time, but is determined to keep a positive outlook.
The 56-year-old grandmother from Peterhead has seen a massive transformation in her personal fitness and how she copes with chemo.
Others who are trying to get fitter are praising her “truly inspirational” outlook on life.
‘My cancer is a fluke – you just have to get on with it’
Susan was diagnosed with cancer in her right breast earlier this year, and started 12 weeks of chemotherapy treatment in September.
“If it wasn’t for the routine mammogram, it wouldn’t have been found,” she said. “I hadn’t felt a lump before it.”
It’s the third time she’s faced the illness.
Susan first had cancer in her left breast in 2001, and it returned 18 months later.
“It’s been three different types of cancer I had, and I was so young the first time,” she explained.
“But there are no weird genes with me and no history of breast cancer in the family, so it’s a fluke – it’s just unlucky.”
Susan added: “There’s nothing else you can really do. You just have to get on with it. Life goes on.
“I’m fortunate that they caught it early and it’s all been pretty quick with the treatment.
“I’m just taking it as it comes and carrying on.”
‘After 40 years of slimming classes, I’ve found the answer’
Part of Susan’s positivity stems from major changes she made to her lifestyle in 2021.
“With Covid and lockdowns, I was at an all-time low,” she said.
“I was having menopause symptoms but because of my breast cancer history I couldn’t get HRT (hormone therapy).
“The doctor gave me antidepressants, but I was on them for four days and hated them.
“I felt like a fart in a trance – and I knew I had to change my lifestyle.”
After some research online, Susan signed up to the Feel Look Be programme from Dundee health coach Shelley Booth.
As part of this, she completely changed up her diet – cutting out the likes of alcohol, bread and chocolatey snacks.
“I’ve done slimming classes since I was about 17 years old,” Susan revealed.
“I’ve gone to every one that’s been on the go and I’ve always battled with my weight.
“But the difference with this is the education that comes with it on why you should and shouldn’t be eating certain things.”
How has Susan’s diet changed?
“I’ve cut out bread, pasta and rice, and other things like that,” she said.
“It’s all vegetables and meats and your good fats – I’m cooking with cream and butter, and eating full-fat cheese.”
Every Friday, Susan is sent a menu for her next week of meals.
She’s also encouraged to drink two to three litres of water a day, with tea, coffee and herbal tea also permitted.
“It’s just really nutritious, filling food – I love it,” Susan added.
“My favourites at the moment are probably to have a smoothie or pancakes in the morning.
“Lunches can be anything from a stir-fry to bacon and eggs, or scrambled eggs and halloumi.
“And for the evening meal, you just can’t say no to a steak and sweet potato fries with a creamy mushroom sauce.”
The plan is meant to cut out the need for snacking altogether, but Susan still finds herself needing a little extra to get her through the days she has treatment.
“I’m snacking on chemo days but it’s things like cheese and nuts – the good things.
“I’m not going for the usual chocolate and crisps – all those carbs and sugars.
“I don’t really need to snack, and that’s something I’d never have thought of before.”
She added: “Chemo is different for everybody, but this new lifestyle is making it easier to get through.”
‘Inspirational’ Susan’s 5K-a-day
Susan’s also made a conscious effort to move more alongside the diet changes.
While she’d regularly take black Labrador Zuko for walks with supportive husband Graham, she was encouraged to make the most of her exercise.
She joined a team of around 40 other clients of Shelley’s in October who all vowed to walk or run five kilometres (3.1 miles) every day to raise cash for charity Breast Cancer Now.
In total, the Feel Look Be participants pulled in more than £8,000 for the cause.
“We had a Facebook group for it and the support and camaraderie really helped,” Susan said.
“It was a great team to be involved in.”
Some of the others described Susan as their “biggest inspiration” while they took on the month-long challenge.
But she’s determined not to keep the praise for herself.
“Everyone has their stories and things they’re going through in life,” Susan said.
“I’m a positive person and I try to have humour rather than anything else, I think you have to.
“Everybody has inspiring things to say and, if it’s not them personally affected, they’ll have had family members.
“I’m just me and I’m not looking for more attention than anything else.
“But if I inspire people that’s good, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Conversation