“Please don’t skip it” — how one routine screening changed Dee’s life
When Wokingham mum-of-four Dee Edwards got her letter for a routine breast screening, she almost didn’t go.
Work was hectic, life was full, and she felt absolutely fine.
But she went anyway — and that simple decision ended up saving her life.
During the screening, doctors found grade 3 triple negative breast cancer — an aggressive type that wouldn’t have been detectable by touch. Had Dee skipped that appointment, it could have reached Stage 3 in just a couple of months.
“I was lucky,” Dee says. “Lucky that I went. Lucky that it was caught early. Before I booked my screening, I actually checked my diary to see if it fit in — that’s how close I came to missing it. But that appointment saved my life.”
After her diagnosis in November 2023, Dee’s world turned upside down. What followed were months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, tough days and small victories — all made a little easier by the kindness she found at Royal Berkshire Hospital.
From the radiographers and nurses to her surgeon and oncologist, Dee says every person she met went above and beyond to make her feel cared for and supported.
“Every single person was just wonderful,” she says. “From the people at reception to the nurse who took the time to listen on hard days. I even met one amazing nurse who turned out to be from the same tiny Irish village my dad grew up in — it felt like a small bit of fate.”
Now in remission, Dee has turned that gratitude into action.
Over the past 18 months, she’s raised more than £10,000 for Royal Berks Charity, which supports patients and staff across the hospital. From quiz nights to her “Buzz Off Cancer” head-shaving event, Dee’s fundraising has brought people together in the most uplifting way — with her colleagues at Select Car Leasing matching donations pound for pound.
The funds she’s raised are helping the Berkshire Cancer Centre, supporting the Breast Screening Unit, Wig Department, and King Edward Ward — places that made a difference to her, and will now help countless others.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Day (“Wear It Pink”) approaches, Dee is using her story to remind others just how important it is to go to their routine screenings — and to encourage friends and family to do the same.
“It’s so easy to put it off or think ‘it won’t happen to me,’” she says. “But that appointment is your golden ticket — a gift from the NHS. Please, don’t skip it. Go to your screening. Tell your friends to go. And remember, breast cancer can affect men too — if something doesn’t feel right, get checked straight away.”
The team at Royal Berks Charity say Dee’s energy and vision have been “inspiring,” helping to raise both awareness and vital funds for local cancer services.
At Royal Berks Charity, we believe hospital care should be about more than treatment — it should be about comfort, compassion, and community.
Thanks to supporters like Dee, we can continue funding the little (and big) things that make a real difference to patients and their families — from specialist equipment to improved spaces and wellbeing support.
If you’ve been inspired by Dee’s story, there are lots of ways to help — whether that’s making a donation, planning a fundraiser, or simply sharing her message.
❤️ Donate or get involved: www.royalberkscharity.co.uk/donate
🌸 Support Dee directly: Dee’s JustGiving Page