My name is Ellie and I’m mega chuffed to become an ambassador for Ending Life’s Taboo. My journey, like many of yours or your loved ones, involves navigating the complexities of a diagnosis that alters life as we know it. Myeloma, a rare blood cancer typically seen in much older people, found its way into my life unexpectedly in my early forties. This incurable diagnosis threw my young family and I emotional and psychological challenges that were an equal match for the physical ones that came medically.

The NHS has been absolutely brilliant with the physical side of things, but the emotional side of things is less straightforward. 

There’s no medicine or treatment regime which can help you come to terms with an incurable cancer diagnosis. There’s no simple prescription for how to keep going through the fear and frustration.

Thankfully, because I was considered young (at 41, I know right!), I was lucky to access counselling straight away from Ending Life’s Taboo. The fact that counselling started pretty much immediately was a real bonus; I’m surrounded by really great, supportive family and friends, but there is such a lot thrown at you in those early days , and at a time when you are most often at your very sickest, having somewhere neutral to vent meant that I could be truly honest without worrying about the impact of sharing my innermost thoughts and fears on my loved ones.  I don’t think any of this facing mortality stuff is easy, whatever your age, but the fact that Ending Life’s Taboo specifically supports young people, in itself, validates just how damn hard it can be. 

I’ll be ever grateful to Tracy. In spite of her own grief at losing her son too young, too soon, she set up Ending Life’s Taboo and created something so positive for others facing a similar situation. All the counselling sessions I’ve received, every one funded by the charity, have been as valuable as any of the physical treatment I’ve had – genuinely. 

Having space to process the complicated emotions that come from such an uncertain future has allowed me and my young family to put fears about dying to one side so we can focus on living, for as long as that might be. And I’m keen to use some of the time I’ve got to help make sure other people get the emotional support they need from Ending Life’s Taboo.”