1 - Hilde at riprap 25/11/2015 @ 16:31

Hello Rose and welcome to riprap. My name is Hilde and I’m one of the team here together with Sue and Robyn. I’m so sorry to hear about your mum and the devastating news about her secondary cancer. No wonder you’re finding it hard to concentrate and that you want things to slow down… Hopefully your mum is getting treatment for her pain so that she and everybody around her don’t have to worry about that too…

I hope other young people will get back to you in the forum but I want you to know that you can also contact us in the riprap team if you’d like to talk things through with us more privately. We are all experienced cancer nurses and you are very welcome to contact us by using the ‘get in touch’ form on the website. Warm wishes, Hilde

2 - josh 25/11/2015 @ 22:31

my mum had secondary cancer too. i know what you mean by you want everything to slow down thats normal i couldn't concentrate either but don't worry i promise things get better as you learn to deal and live with it.

3 - Ella 8/4/2016 @ 18:52

Hi my mum doesn't have secondary cancer I don't understand what secondary cancer is. My mum is doing chemotherapy her cancer has gone but can she still get secondary cancer

4 - Hilde at riprap 13/4/2016 @ 11:53

Hi Ella, you are asking about secondary cancer and as you know I have replied to you via email about this. But there may be others who also don't understand what secondary cancer is so I'll explain briefly here, first about primary cancer and then secondary cancer.

Healthy cells that work properly are told by genes inside the cells to divide and make more cells if the body needs more cells to grow or to replace cells that are damaged or cells that have died. But sometimes mistakes happen when cells divide and they can become faulty/damaged. Cells can be damaged in a way that makes them start dividing in an uncontrolled way. And if abnormal/faulty cells keep on dividing instead of dying, they create more cells that are also abnormal. This uncontrolled division/growth of faulty cells can then create a lump or tumour which is cancer. This can happen anywhere in the body and the place or organ where a cancer starts is called a primary tumour (or primary cancer).

Another thing that makes cancer cells different from normal cells (besides dividing uncontrollably) is that they can travel via the blood and lymph vessels to other parts of the body. Remember that because of excellent cancer treatments, this doesn’t need to happen at all, but IF cancer cells do that, they can develop into cancerous tumours in different parts of the body too. If that happens, we call that secondary cancer. Sometimes it is called a metastasis but secondary cancer and metastasis are the same thing.

If you want to know more about this you could have a look in the section where we explain about cancer.

As always, you are all welcome to get in touch with us with questions or anything that's on your mind.

Warm wishes, Hilde

5 - Moa14 8/7/2017 @ 18:43

understand you. My mother was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer and Its also in her bones. She got diagnosed this february and Its been really hard because I sometimes Can't sleep at nights because of it. And it is also very hard because im only 14 years old so Its not fair that im only going to have like 2 more years with her. And I also doesn't have any advice just wanted you too know you are not alone we are more people who is going through the same. Just try and appreciate every small moment with your mother. And if you want to talk we can exange details like snapchat or something.

(Message from riprap: We're really sorry but for online safety reasons we can't allow anyone to exchange personal details)

6 - Abby 15 17/7/2017 @ 20:33

Hello rose, I am in the exact same boat as you ,mum has the same illness and i'm finding it really hard to cope although I decided to keep my feelings to myself because ill admit it i'm really scared, just remember we are not alone and if you ever need anyone to talk to I am here as I know what you are going through x

7 - Hannah 10/11/2017 @ 18:03

My mum has the same thing so I can relate, it's been really tough and upsetting for all my family but I try to think positively x