The last few years have been incredibly challenging for Heather Dunne as she’s not only been living with anxiety, but she was also diagnosed with breast cancer and faced months of treatment.
However, having grown up with a dad in the fire service – before not only marrying a firefighter, but also working in Control herself for Staffordshire and West Midlands FRS – she knew exactly where to turn for care and support.
“I actually first visited Harcombe House as a child,” says Heather. “My mum was sick at the time and we were invited there as a family for a recuperative break, through my dad’s role as a firefighter.
“I then went back years later with my husband, after I suffered a pulmonary embolism on the way back from our honeymoon. It’s meant it’s incredibly close to my heart, and I’ve always known how much support is available to us. Which is really fortunate given the last few years…”
Heather first noticed some signs of anxiety after the birth of her second child a few years ago.
“He was a bit of a surprise, I actually thought I was menopausal when I started showing symptoms, but later found out I was pregnant!” Heather explains.
“I was almost 40 and he wasn’t a sleeper, so it was a lot. I was seeing a counsellor through work, which helped a lot, but then I lost my dad suddenly. He was incredibly fit and healthy but had a sudden heart attack.
“I threw myself back into work after that but everything got on top of me following a short holiday that summer. I found myself not wanting to go back, and I’ve always loved my work.
“I’ve been off work properly since last August. Whilst I was off, I got in touch about the Reset Programme, for my anxiety – I knew a few people who’d done it, including Sonia Cox who has previously shared her story with the charity, and I thought it sounded really good.
“However, around a week before I was due to visit Harcombe House for the programme, I found a lump in my breast.”
Heather booked an appointment to have a check-up, but given it fell after her scheduled visit to Harcombe House, she stuck to her visit – and really enjoyed it.
“I went on the programme as planned, while I waited to get the lump checked out, and thoroughly enjoyed it – I got so much out of it,” she says.
“We were all quite an open-minded group, which was good for me. I think on reflection, what I learnt there has helped me cope since finding out the lump was cancer shortly after I returned home.
“I had several months of chemotherapy following that, which started just before Christmas last year. That wasn’t ideal with two small children! Some of the chemo was horrendous with every side effect imaginable, and then I had a mastectomy too.”
Heather stayed in tough with us throughout her treatment and was later offered a Rest and Recharge break with her family around Easter.
“That was brilliant,” she says. “It was nice to be out of the house and somewhere else, for all of us.”
During this time, Heather had also heard about our online Hope Programme.
The self-led programme, which we run in partnership with social enterprise Hope for the Community, is a six-week online self-management programme which helps you feel more in control and more resilient. You can find out more here:
“I originally started the Hope Programme earlier in the year, following attending the Reset Programme at Harcombe House in 2023,” says Heather.
“I was unable to complete that course in time due to ongoing medical problems. However, once my chemotherapy had finished and I was a little less exhausted, I felt I was able to complete the course and signed up again.
“I have found it very helpful in reminding me to take time for myself and take time to reflect and look at what is important to me, my family and my health. I found the mindfulness session, especially helpful, to bring me back into the moment.
“The beauty of this programme is the fact you can take it at your own pace. I did the last couple of sessions after the course technically finished, just due to busy life commitments, and that worked really well.
“At present I am taking things slowly, as I continue my treatment for breast cancer, but once I think about my return to work, I will utilise the skills from this course, to help me focus and balance my work and home life and will also journal to help with my mental health.
“Currently I have no active cancer and I’m about to start a round of radiotherapy to mop anything up that may be left. I’ve got so much out of the charity, I’m so incredibly grateful.”
If you feel you’d benefit from our health and wellbeing support, you can call our Support Line on 0800 389 8820, make an enquiry online or visit the ‘Access Support’ tab in My Fire Fighters Charity.
And remember – if you’re feeling suicidal, you can call our Crisis Line 24 hours a day on 0300 373 0896.