Sussex

Shine Sussex is currently looking for a few volunteers to help organise events. If you’d like to learn more about Shine’s volunteering opportunities, please look here.

If you’d like to join the Shine Sussex mailing list, email us at sussex@shinecancersupport.org.

 

SussexThe Sussex network began in a field in Dorset at Shine Camp in 2014. Ali has led the network from the beginning and stood back in 2021. Rebecca started working with Ali and has now taken the helm.

We meet once a month in different locations in Sussex for a variety of social activities which have included cafes, beach walks, comedy nights, glow in the dark golf, bowling and pubs. Some of these events are also open to Plus Ones (friends & family). We rotate times and locations to try to allow everyone to access the events. The meet ups are relaxed and informal and new faces are always made welcome. If you’re a bit nervous then Rebecca is happy to meet you beforehand and can introduce you.

Meet the volunteer network leader – Rebecca

Hi I’m Rebecca and I joined Ali as Shine Sussex network leader in 2018 after having been along to some Shine Sussex meet ups and witnessing how valuable the support and commonality of others of a similar age had been when dealing with cancer.

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in January 2016 and, as many others have felt, it was after the medical treatments came to an end, that I started to think about how having had a cancer diagnosis would, did and had affect me. I worked as a long-haul flight attendant but knew I was looking for a career change so I took part in Shine’s coaching programme and then moved into the charity sector.

In April 2019, after experiencing severe hip pain, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in my bones and liver so am I now, like millions of people living and, hopefully, thriving with cancer. However, the secondary diagnosis was devastating and the impacts of it are far reaching into all aspects of life.

I hope that Shine Sussex can help  other young adults in the area facing similar issues and that you can make some of our meet ups! It’s so important to know you are not alone and all the online and real-life support Shine provides is excellent. Everyone I’ve met through Shine are just ‘friends who get it’.

Outside of cancer, Shine and work, I like holidays, travel, Thai food, watching reruns of Friends, walking (especially in Cornwall where I grew up), cheese scones and drinking jasmin or Earl Grey tea!