Layla’s Leap: Marking One Year Cancer-Free with a Skydive

To celebrate one year since her breast cancer surgery — and her recent 50th birthday — Layla Alderson took a bold leap… out of a plane at 15,000 feet!

The skydive marked not only the end of Layla’s treatment but also her way of giving back to Cavendish Cancer Care and Weston Park Cancer Charity, whose support helped her through a challenging year.

Layla, mum to two boys aged 11 and 8, first experienced breast pain in February 2024. After several GP visits and further hospital tests, she was diagnosed in May with stage 3 breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes.

“Waiting for the diagnosis was the hardest part,” Layla said. “I knew it would probably be cancer, but it was still a huge shock. I tried to stay positive and focus on getting through the treatment plan. I didn’t contemplate the possibility of not surviving this. We tried not to tell too many people. Having cancer is such a personal journey and I didn’t want lots of conflicting advice from everyone, no matter how well meaning it was.”

Following a mastectomy and lymph node clearance in July, Layla began chemotherapy in October, which continued through Christmas. “The first round of chemotherapy wasn’t too bad, but the drugs were changed halfway through, and I definitely had more negative reactions to the second round.

It was tough trying to juggle parenting and all the madness that Christmas brings alongside the rounds of chemo. I tried to pack as much of my ‘to-do’ list as possible in on days when I knew I’d feel okay and then allow lots of rest on days when I felt unwell. We focused on small wins and tried to keep things as normal as possible for the boys.”

15 sessions of radiotherapy followed, and Layla continues taking medication as part of her long-term recovery.

During the radiotherapy course, Layla attended an auricular acupuncture group at Cavendish Cancer Care and had complementary therapy treatments at Weston Park Cancer Support Centre. She’s also attending a morning swimming group for cancer patients at Hathersage Pool, sponsored by Weston Park Cancer Charity.

In common with many people who have finished their treatment for cancer, Layla has found her life post-treatment presents some challenges.

“You don’t just spring back into the person you were before. People think I’m fine now that I’m cancer free and you can see changes like my hair is growing back. But there is a worry about the cancer coming back, plus the drugs I’m taking present some issues. It’s about finding a new normal.”

She is looking forward to attending an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy course at Cavendish Cancer Care in September to help her with moving forward.

Layla’s skydive will raise funds to help others access the same support she received. “I feel lucky to be able to access support from these incredible local charities. It’s very important to me to be able to give something back — and jumping out of a plane seemed like a fun way to do it!”