A TRIO of friends have launched a cancer fundraising campaign and will lace up their trainers to walk 100 miles in honour of their "beautiful warrior" after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The trio, all originally from Tranent, decided to challenge themselves when they received the devastating news that their close friend Lisa Findlay, 40, had been diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer after visiting her doctor to have a lump checked out in June.
Lisa (pictured below), who has lived in Tranent for 11 years, is mum to Calvin, 22, Shea, 10, and Frankie, nine, while her partner of four years, Mark, is father to 17-year-old Nicole, Aidan, 15, and Keegan, 11. The couple also have an 18-month-old daughter, Indie, together.
Lisa's diagnosis comes as a double blow to Mark, who signed off from working as a groundworker earlier in the year after his son Aidan Hogg was diagnosed with leukaemia in March – Aidan has been bed-bound at Edinburgh's Royal Children's Hospital for Children and Young People since his diagnosis.
Now, Lisa's three best friends are rallying behind their "sister" to walk 100 miles and raise enough funds to support Lisa, Mark and their children through this difficult time.
Starting today (Friday), Lisa Beck, from Wallyford, Nikki Stenhouse, who lives in Livingston, and Denise Hastie, from Gullane, will set off to walk 100 miles throughout the month – they intend on walking individually but will meet up once a week to walk together.
They have set up a GoFundMe page for money raised to go directly to Lisa and Mark, who are currently living off their savings while Lisa undergoes treatment and Mark supports both his partner and son in hospital.
Lisa Beck said: "This really is to take the strain off them, so they can look after the kids and potentially treat themselves to a holiday when this is over.
"Lisa had said to me 'parenting doesn't stop just because you're getting chemo', and I know it is hard for her because she can't even touch her children after some treatment and she has to self-isolate beforehand too.
"She has to pay for taxis to get to hospital for treatment, childcare, she has a lot on her plate.
"Her children don't understand. Frankie is autistic so he gets confused and the wee one is a Covid baby, so she won't go to anyone but Lisa or Mark.
"We're hoping by doing this we can inspire other friends and neighbours to help out and look after the kids and rally around the family during this difficult time."
And she added: "We are proud of our friend, the way she has dealt with this is amazing. She is a warrior and an inspiration to other women out there.
"She will not suffer in silence, she is speaking out and she has an amazing support group, family and followers.
"She’s a very strong woman."
Lisa and Mark
Lisa had felt a lump in her right breast at the beginning of the year and, due to circumstances surrounding Aidan and his leukaemia diagnosis, she decided to get it checked in June.
She initially believed it was a cyst or a blocked milk duct from having her daughter a year earlier.
But following scans, mammograms and tests, she was delivered the devastating news that she had stage 2 breast cancer.
A few weeks after her diagnosis, Lisa underwent an operation to have the cancer from her breast and lymphoids from her armpit removed.
She now faces months of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment – the latter resulting in early menopause.
She said: "The mental, devastating heartbreaking affect this had had on us as a family can't even be spoken about.
"It's just too much to take in sometimes. The possibility of losing my hair altogether has been one of the hardest things to deal with apart from the cancer itself, but knowing that hopefully the fact that once this is all over and this horrible cruel disease is gone for good, meaning I will be here to see my four kids grow up, you just can't put a price on that.
"I would go through this all again to be here for my beautiful family and friends."
Lisa has advised her female friends and family to always check their breasts.
She said: "Even a quick feel when in the bath or shower, any lumps or bumps, anything at all that seems even a little bit different, no matter how big or small, go and get checked immediately.
"Don't leave it and think 'I'll go another day', it is just not worth it."
To donate to the 100 miles for Lisa challenge, visit gofundme.com/f/to-help-lisa-findlay-through-her-journey
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