In May 2023, life changed forever for House of Hope's voluntary adviser Sam Bertram when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Hormone-positive. The fear was immediate and overwhelming. Her children were just ten and eight then, and the thought of them growing up without her was unbearable. But Sam’s story is not one of defeat—it’s a story of resilience, transformation, and hope.
Sam's journey began with a lumpectomy, followed by eight gruelling rounds of chemotherapy. Each session stripped away something essential—her hair, her energy, her sense of familiarity with the person she saw in the mirror. More surgery followed with a full lymph node clearance and then nineteen sessions of radiotherapy. The treatments took their toll, plunging her into medically induced menopause, bringing joint pain, fatigue, and sleepless nights. And yet, Sam always refused to let cancer take away her spirit.
Through every step of this battle, Sam held onto one thing—her will to keep life as normal as possible for her children. She continued making their lunches, attending their school events, and being there for them in every way she could. Despite the pain, despite the exhaustion, she kept moving forward.
Today, Sam is on a two-year targeted therapy plan with ongoing injections and bone infusions. But she is not just surviving—she is living. She has found strength in routine, in walking her dog, in Pilates, and in the simple, everyday moments with her children. Cancer may have caused changes to her body and her mind, but it has never broken her spirit.
Stories like Sam’s remind us that a breast cancer diagnosis is not the end—it is the beginning of a journey. It's a journey that reshapes you, challenges you, but, in many ways, makes you stronger. At The House of Hope, we exist to support everyone on this journey. Whether you are newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or navigating life after cancer, we are here for you.
By sharing stories of hope and coming together as a community, we can help more people across Scotland face breast cancer with strength and courage. We are proud to have an incredible team of volunteers, like Sam, who inspire us with their resilience and determination every day.
If you or someone you love is facing breast cancer, know that you are not alone. Together, we will face this—because no one should have to go through breast cancer alone.
"Cancer changed me. It altered my body, my mind, my future. But it didn’t break me."
