Heather’s determined to fight cancer and live well

A cancer diagnosis changed Heather’s life, but with support from St Luke’s Living Well programme, she is finding strength, confidence and new ways to live well every day.

Heather Thomas is not someone who gives in easily.

Diagnosed with cancer of the spine in October 2024 after a routine hospital visit for cracked ribs, the 77-year-old Queensbury grandmother wasn’t sure she was “ill enough” for St Luke’s Living Well programme.

“I thought, there’s nothing wrong with me,” she says. “People think cancer means the end. I didn’t feel like that.”

Now she is determined to attend. “I’m moving heaven and high water to be here. I want to get the most out of it.”

“People think cancer means the end. I didn’t feel like that.”

The Living Well programme, funded by the Big Lottery, offers vital support to people with life-limiting illnesses.

Through expert-led workshops, complementary therapies and peer support, we help patients manage symptoms, build confidence and regain control over their lives.

Heather has found Tai Chi “wonderful – just moving and breathing. That’s what I need.”

Sessions are tailored to her spine condition, helping her rebuild strength gently and safely.

She also values the massage therapy. “It’s wonderful. You don’t realise how much tension you’re carrying.”

For Heather, St Luke’s is about living, not dying.

“It’s calming, it’s relaxing, you learn things. And people actually listen to you.”