Lottie's story

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I am Charlotte Rennie aka Lottie aka Pomegranate Peaches. I am married to my husband Tim for 16 years now and I am a full time Watercolour Artist. I am also a part-time Bespoke Wedding Florist & Photographer. My favourite hobby is to cold water/wild swim. I have cold water or wild swam around 12 times so far this year, from Orkney to Yorkshire to Cornwall to the River Trent. I am also a gym goer and I love to bake. I love the forest, lakes & mountains.


Describe yourself in 3 words:

I asked Tim: Creative, zealous & comedic.


A fun fact about yourself:

My breasts weighed 1.5 stone, honestly!!! I weighed myself the day of my BMX & then again 2 days later. An awkward but true fun fact. Laugh rather than cry ;-) Also I swam just off the Island of Shapinsay (Orkney) mid-winter when the water temperature was 5 degrees Celsius. I absolutely loved every minute of it.


When were you diagnosed with breast cancer?

On 13^th October 2017 at the age of 33 years old.


How did you feel when you first found out?

I felt like I had been given a death sentence. I truly thought I would die & wouldn’t make it to the summer of 2018. I was shocked. Angry. Upset. I became very insular.


What type of treatment/surgery did you have?

6 months of chemotherapy into a Port / a Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy (no reconstruction) / 3 weeks of radiotherapy / Zoladex Injections for 6+ months / Tamoxifen for 12 months / a Full Radical Hysterectomy / After Hysterectomy, swapped Tamoxifen to Anastrazole / Bisphosphonates. I also found out that I carry the BRCA2 Gene.


Was there anyone or anything that helped you get through it all?

My Faith. My husband Tim. My closest friends, a cliché comment, but they know who they are. Some family too. Plus, my medical team, they are all awesome, loyal & patient. Also, Suits!!! The TV series got me through the endless Chemo, I think I watched 6 seasons during chemo. Lastly, my fish & my kittens. The day I went for my first lot of tests (pre-diagnosis) I sat & watched my fish in the pond outside for 7 hours straight. Not talking to anyone. Just watching them weave through the plants & water. And my kittens, 2 boys. They are always by my side and make me smile. But most of all, my husband Tim. He is my rock, my strength, the one who brings me back down to earth, the one who persistently reminds me that they got all the cancer & other aspects of my positive results, the one who’s seen it all, the one who keeps my head above water, the one who looks at me just the same despite my visible & invisible battle wounds. He’s my number one man.


What are you looking forward to?

I am looking forward to getting reconstruction at some point in the future.


Do you have any advice or tips you would like to share with other ladies?

Ask questions and lots of them. Don’t be afraid to call the shots on some of your timings and treatments, but always remember that they are the experts, but you do have the right to have a say in your timings and treatment, nonetheless. For those that have had chemo, shave your hair off one last time, one month after chemotherapy has finished. This gets rid of the fine growth & encourages new, thicker hair. For those whose hair grew back curly too like mine, research the Curly Girl Method. This will help you to properly look after your new delicate curls. Lastly, do everything your Consultant and Oncologist asks you to, from walking daily to eating well during chemo. Whatever they ask you to do, do it! There is always a reason why they are asking you to do such things. It’s for your benefit!