Walking the Breasts for ALCS – a young woman’s story.

A young woman who underwent life-changing breast cancer treatment at just 26 has turned her deeply personal experience into an extraordinary fundraising challenge—climbing two “breast-shaped” mountains on the Isle of Mull to support the charity that helped her through her darkest days.

Izzy Glaisher, now in her late twenties, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 after discovering a lump. What followed was a rapid and overwhelming series of events: fertility treatment to freeze her eggs, a double mastectomy with full lymph node clearance and a complex 14-hour reconstructive surgery using her own tissue. She then endured five months of chemotherapy—complicated by sepsis—and three weeks of radiotherapy.

Although her active treatment has ended, Izzy continues to live with the long-term effects of cancer, including medically induced menopause and ongoing preventative medication. “The cancer journey doesn’t just stop,” she explains. “It changes you completely.”

Before her diagnosis, Izzy was living in London, working for a food redistribution charity, and enjoying a vibrant, independent life. Within weeks, she had to stop working, leave her home and move back in with her parents in Somerset to undergo treatment.

It was during this time that she discovered t (ALCS)—a small, community-based charity that would become a cornerstone of her recovery.

Founded by Mary Kahn following her own breast cancer experience, ALCS provides free, holistic support to anyone affected by cancer across the local area. Having now  registered more than 1,100 people, the charity offers a wide range of services—from counselling and nutritional advice to creative workshops, exercise classes and complementary therapies.

For Izzy, ALCS was nothing short of a lifeline.

“Because I had to move home, I was suddenly far away from my friends and incredibly isolated,” she says. “ALCS became a huge part of my week. It brought me joy, connection and a sense of empowerment at a time when everything felt out of my control.”

Through the charity, Izzy accessed a “resilience toolkit” of support—meeting with a nutritionist, attending workshops, receiving counselling and connecting with others her age through a young persons’ group. Creative opportunities, including a woodwork course at Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy, gave her a renewed sense of purpose during treatment.

She also found solace in quieter moments—spending reflective days at the charity’s beach hut in Lyme Regis, journaling by the sea and reconnecting with herself.

“Cancer is earth-shattering,” Izzy says. “Life doesn’t go back to normal—but with the right support, you can learn how to move forward.”

Inspired by her experience—and a moment of clarity during chemotherapy—Izzy dreamed up a unique fundraising challenge. While staying on the Isle of Mull, where her family has holidayed for two decades, two local mountains—Cruachan Dearg and Corra-bheinn—had long been affectionately nicknamed “the breasts.”

“In 2023 I lost both my boobs to breast cancer—so what better challenge than to walk up breast-shaped mountains?” she says.

That dream became reality earlier this year, as Izzy set out to “Walk the Breasts” alongside her parents and close friends who travelled from across the UK to support her.

Battling extreme weather conditions—including snow, high winds and sudden blizzards—the group faced a physically and emotionally intense climb. At times, visibility vanished entirely as storm conditions swept across the mountains.

“It felt pretty symbolic,” Izzy reflects. “The walk was just as intense and unpredictable as my cancer experience. It wouldn’t have been right for it to be easy.”

Despite the challenges, the group successfully summited both peaks, later rewarded with clear blue skies and sweeping views across Loch Scridain.

The challenge has been two years in the making—and has captured the hearts of supporters, raising vital funds for ALCS to continue its work supporting others facing cancer.

“I’m so touched by the phenomenal generosity,” Izzy says. “To know we’ve played even a small part in helping the charity be there for the next person—and the next—means everything.”

As cancer diagnoses continue to rise, Izzy is passionate about raising awareness of the importance of holistic, community-led support alongside medical treatment.

“It’s about more than survival,” she says. “It’s about how we live well through cancer, and beyond it. Charities like ALCS are filling a vital gap—supporting the whole person, not just the illness.”