A Plymouth woman who has faced breast cancer says helping others through their own journeys has become one of the most rewarding parts of her life.
Sam Maddock was just 39 years old when she discovered a lump that would change everything.
Her diagnosis came at an especially difficult time. Only a couple of years earlier, her mum had been told she had incurable cancer, leaving the family already living with the daily reality of the disease.
"It was quite a shock," Sam recalled. "Our family were already going through a cancer diagnosis because our mum had been diagnosed with incurable cancer a couple of years previously."
While supporting her mum, who lived with cancer for almost seven years before sadly passing away three years ago, Sam began her own treatment after doctors diagnosed breast cancer.
Thankfully, it had been found early.
She underwent surgery, which resulted in a right-side mastectomy, and began rebuilding her life after treatment.
Rather than putting the experience behind her, Sam decided she wanted to give something back to the team who had cared for her.
Just a year after her diagnosis, she helped launch the Primrose Plod, a charity walk raising funds for The Primrose Foundation, which supports breast cancer services across Plymouth and the surrounding area.
Participants can choose either the full route from Princetown to Plymouth or a shorter walk beginning in Yelverton.
What started as a fundraising idea has grown into one of the charity's best supported events.
This year marked the fifth Primrose Plod, with the event passing an incredible milestone of more than £50,000 raised to support local breast cancer patients.
But Sam's own story was far from over.
Earlier this year she learned she carries the BRCA2 gene mutation, significantly increasing her risk of developing breast cancer again.
Faced with another life-changing decision, she underwent a second operation in April, this time having a left-side mastectomy.
Despite everything she has experienced, Sam speaks with immense gratitude for the care she received.
"I can't thank the Primrose Unit enough," she said. "They really do go above and beyond."
Today, Sam continues to support local families in several ways. She is a trustee of The Primrose Foundation and has also helped establish "Get It Off Your Chest", a welcoming community group for anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer or is currently going through treatment.
Meeting once a month, the group offers a relaxed and informal space where people can share experiences, ask questions, or simply listen over tea and biscuits in the company of others who understand exactly what they are facing.
As part of this year's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the group will also be attending Claire's fundraising event, The Breast Tea Ever, where visitors will be able to find out more about the support available while helping raise vital funds for local breast cancer services.
Looking to the future, Sam is already encouraging people to take part in the next Primrose Plod.
The charity walk will return in 2027, with registration expected to open in February through the Primrose Plod Facebook page.
For Sam, what began as one of the hardest chapters of her life has become a mission to ensure nobody in Plymouth faces breast cancer alone.
Her story is a reminder that while cancer changes lives, so too can the compassion, friendship and support that grows from those determined to help others through it.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post