Cathy Howden has faced many battles with cancer – both personally and with loved ones – but she remains determined to “live life to the full”.
After attending last year’s Courage on the Catwalk at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen, she was inspired to take part in the 2023 show and share her story.
The Kingswells resident has a long history with Friends of Anchor.
She not only faced her own battle with colon cancer but has also lost her mum, sister-in-law and good friend to the disease.
Her mum, Margaret Findlay, 59, died after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in June 1998.
When facing her own battle 17 years later at the Anchor Unit, Mrs Howden said she was grateful for the improved medical equipment and research funded by the charity and the “compassionate and caring” staff.
Determined diagnosis was not going to stop her
The 62-year-old was diagnosed with colon cancer in August 2015 after feeling unwell and noticing she was losing a lot of weight.
After going “back and forth” to the doctor and getting several scans, they found a mass in her bowel.
The mum-of-two, who said her curly hair was a “massive part” of her personality, first worried about what treatment would do to her locks.
Sitting in the living room with her sister and brother when she first got the call, she said: “The first question I asked is ‘What will happen to my hair?'”
While she did not lose all her locks through treatment, they grew started growing back straight. Mrs Howden said she now has to get a perm to return them to their former state.
Given her mum’s battle with cancer to the disease and her own knowledge as a mental health nurse, she said the diagnosis was “quite scary”.
“It was like shock, anger,” she said. “Why me, I thought ‘have I got what my mum had’?
“I was really determined and positive that I was going to fight it, I thought this isn’t going to stop me.”
Taking every day as it comes
Mrs Howden went into hospital for a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.
After suffering a severe reaction to chemo tablets, she then underwent IV chemotherapy in November for five months.
During that time she said it was the lack of independence and work that was the hardest change.
“I’ve been a nurse since 1980 and I think the worst thing was not being able to work,” she said.
“Initially I hated it because I’ve always been an independent, caring person and then all of a sudden I had to rely on everybody else which was hard.
“But you eventually realise you can’t go through treatment and that on your own, you need the support from family, friends, work colleagues.”
She said she was particularly grateful to her family for support, especially her daughter Melissa and sister Liz who attended hospital appointments with her.
While Mrs Howden got the all clear in 2019, she admitted there’s always a worry at the back of her mind that the cancer will return.
“But I just stay positive,” she said. “I take every day as it comes and I just live my life to the full.”
Mrs Howden is feeling “slightly anxious” but is looking forward to taking to the stage next month along with the other 23 models to raise vital funds for Friends of Anchor.
Courage on the Catwalk takes place at the Beach Ballroom on May 6 and 7.
Conversation