“Living with cancer isn’t a world I would have wished for, but thanks to loved ones and Yorkshire Cancer Research, it’s still a world full of kindness and hope.” – Katie’s experience

Katie Hartshorne from Garforth had always lived an active and busy life. Alongside a much-loved career in education, she enjoyed walking, Pilates and trips abroad with her husband and two daughters. 

In May 2024, the 57-year-old from Garforth had to pause her usual routine after she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow.  

Katie had initially visited her GP with persistent rib pain, which was first thought to be a muscle strain. When she later experienced heart palpitations, she was admitted to hospital, where further tests confirmed her cancer diagnosis. 

Katie began an intensive 15-month course of treatment under the care of the haematology team at St James’s Hospital in Leeds. This included high-dose chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant in early 2025; a physically and emotionally challenging period that required frequent hospital visits and left her feeling very unwell at times.

She said: “At the start, the idea of 15 months of treatment felt overwhelming, so I broke everything down into one day at a time. That mindset really helped me cope.”

Determined to do everything she could to support her recovery from cancer treatment, Katie made a conscious decision to stay active wherever possible. 

Katie completed treatment in May 2025. While it was a positive milestone, it also brought uncertainty about what came next.

She said: “When treatment finished, I felt a bit lost. Everything had been focused on getting through each day, and suddenly I was asking myself, ‘What do I do now?’ I knew I needed help to rebuild my strength safely.”

Walking became a vital part of Katie’s routine after treatment. After being discharged from hospital, she focused on rebuilding her strength step by step, one day at a time.

In July 2025, Katie joined Active Together in Harrogate, the research-backed cancer exercise treatment service funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, which supports people before, during and after cancer treatment. Before starting the programme, she found everyday tasks exhausting.

She said: “Simple things like going upstairs, unloading the dishwasher or getting out of the bath would completely drain me. I wanted to get back to living a normal life, but I wasn’t sure how to do that on my own.”

Katie was supported by Andy, one of the cancer exercise treatment experts at Yorkshire Cancer Research, helping people prepare for and recover from their cancer treatment. She followed a personalised cancer exercise treatment programme tailored to her specific health needs and energy levels. 

She said: “One of my main goals was to be able to manage day-to-day tasks again without feeling exhausted. We worked on simple but important things like strength for using the stairs, getting in and out of the bath and doing household jobs. I could really feel the difference. Week by week, I was getting stronger.”

Beyond the physical benefits of exercise, Active Together also had a profound impact on Katie’s mindset on life after cancer. 

She said: “Active Together has completely changed how I think. It’s given me confidence, a new focus and a sense of purpose again. I’ve also met people I would never have crossed paths with, and there’s a real sense of community. We understand each other in a way others can’t.” 

Although Katie’s cancer is incurable, it is treatable, and she has responded well to treatment. She has recently been on holiday with her husband – her first since treatment – and is making the most of walking and spending time with her family.  

This May, Katie took part in the Yorkshire Cancer Research ‘Baton for Yorkshire’ relay, which saw people with cancer, charity supporters and researchers take part in a month-long Yorkshire-wide relay across 35 locations – in recognition of the 35,000 people diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire each year. Katie carried the ‘Baton for Yorkshire’ across the finish line alongside her loved ones and Andy; a moment that symbolised how the progress she’s made in rebuilding strength and increasing her stamina since her cancer diagnosis. 

She said: “Carrying the baton with the people who supported me through everything was incredibly special. It really brought home how far I’ve come and everything we’ve been through together. I couldn’t have taken part in the We Walk for Yorkshire relay without the help of the cancer exercise treatment I received through Active Together at the Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre in Harrogate.”

Having personally benefited from the work of Yorkshire Cancer Research, I felt incredibly proud to be part of the relay and to raise awareness of the difference this wonderful charity makes.” 

Reflecting on the progress she’s made since finishing cancer treatment, Katie hopes her experience will inspire others living with cancer.