Joanne Cooper, a rural postie who has served Eden communities for 17 years, was stunned to receive overwhelming care and support from customers and friends on her round after being diagnosed with breast cancer last year.
Joanne, aged 36, underwent a lumpectomy and radiotherapy after discovering a small lump on her breast on 5th November.
Thankfully, after treatment she received the all clear and, to aid her recovery, she decided to tackle the Great North Run to raise funds for the CoppaFeel breast cancer charity, while also raising awareness of the importance of early cancer intervention and regular checks for women.
Joanne works out of Penrith’s Royal Mail centre and is a regular sight out in her van around her rural patches, including Askham, Tirril and Glenridding.
“I have had so much support on my round,” she said. “The areas I do my post round have been especially supportive. The Travellers Rest pub in Glenridding, one of the places I deliver to, asked if I’d like to bring them a bottle in, a 2ft Coca-Cola bottle to put on their bar to raise money for the CoppaFeel charity that I have just done the Great North Run for.”
Joanne’s fundraising has quickly amassed nearly £3,000, largely through word of mouth via her round and in the Travellers Rest pub.
“With what they have raised off people on my post round, it has been amazing, along with the wider support I have received,” said Joanne. “There is a lady called Clare Tremayne who is on my Askham round, in Tirril. They have a little community WhatsApp and when I was off work I received dozens of cards through my door one day, and I received gifts. She had arranged for Chambers Garage at Tirril for people to drop off cards. — and for people if they wanted to make a donation.
“She had arranged all this and when I got back after I had been out for my walk one afternoon I had received £250 of vouchers. I was blown away. I had flowers turn up, they had arranged this big thing, using Chambers Garage as a drop off and done all that to support me and just to say they were thinking about me. It is unbelievably kind.”
Joanne’s fundraising bottle also has a QR code so the pub has been driving donations to her Justgiving account, and staff have even been adding their tips to her bottle. Joanne wants to thank everyone at the pub and the wider community.
She is also keen to spread awareness among women, especially younger ones, that they should regularly check themselves. “I caught mine early, and that was crucial,” she said.
“I felt well in myself, I had no indication of anything. I wasn’t feeling anything different. I just literally felt a very small lump. A lot of people don’t check. They are often scared of finding something. A lot of people say that. I am there to say that if you are scared of finding something, I am proof that I did something about it early and that is a wise thing to do.
“That is the difference between having a mastectomy and losing your breast, or catching it early enough to actually have a lumpectomy and be able to do something about it. To give yourself an opportunity to catch it potentially early and not have to go through the worst scenario.”
Joanne urges women to visit the CoppaFeel website for information and advice, as well as sites run by other charities and the NHS. She says women of all ages need to check regularly to give themselves the best chance of recovery.
Joanne loves her job as a postie and says she always tries to make time for a friendly word and to check in on elderly customers. She says it is a pleasure working in such wonderful rural communities. To find out more about Joanne’s appeal visit www.justgiving.com/page/joanne-cooper-1710081695603
