Northland mum and health coach Katherine Froggatt has dramatically changed her life since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
Northland mum and health coach Katherine Froggatt has dramatically changed her life since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
Northlander Katherine Froggatt will never forget the day a sudden pain in her breast sparked a years-long cancer journey that forever changed her life.
She was living in Taupō at the time, having spent two decades in a high-stress media job in advertising and sales in Singapore, pushing through deadlines with a perfectionist attitude.
It was October 2015 and she was having lunch at a café with her husband, chef Paul Froggatt, and their two young children, when she felt a sharp pain in her right breast.
“It made me drop my knife, it was so painful,” she said.
“Paul said get the GP to check it out, but I was an exhausted mum and was so sleep-deprived, I forgot about it.
“Then I felt itchy skin on my breast, and it felt a bit lumpy.”
Froggatt got round to getting checked in December, when the doctor told her “not to worry, it was probably just a cyst” and sent her for a mammogram for peace of mind.
At her mammogram appointment a month later, “the radiographer who was there said ‘we need to ultrasound you straight away’ and I thought okay, something’s wrong”.
Froggatt had stage two breast cancer and had to have surgery, followed by months of chemotherapy and radiation and five years of hormonal therapy.
Today, she is grateful to be in complete remission.
Surviving cancer was “a huge wake-up call”, she said.
“Apart from my own body image of having a reconstructed breast, I felt I had to rebuild my body and energy and change the way I ate and managed stress.
“I’d been living in burnout for a long time but didn’t know.
“I had to stop rushing all the time and always needing to push myself to the max and not allowing myself to rest.”
After five years, Froggatt decided she wanted to do something to help others change their behaviour to prevent a cancer diagnosis.
She attended two cancer retreats organised by Aratika Cancer Trust in Rotorua, made new friends with women who had been on similar journeys and read lots of books on the topic.
Froggatt is now a certified health coach, advanced mental health coach and cancer coach.
Katherine Froggatt is now helping others create a better work-life balance in a bid to prevent a cancer diagnosis.
She wants to share her story during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, “to inspire others that healing is possible, to give them hope and help them build trust again”.
“The current stats show that one in two people will get a cancer diagnosis and the age of cancer patients are now getting younger,” she said.
“We can change these stats through behaviour and lifestyle changes... learning to eat better, sleep better, exercise optimally, and be mindful.
“We are so good at giving but so bad at giving to ourselves.
“We start normalising our pain points, we’re so busy we stop listening to our bodies.”
Froggatt, who moved to Kerikeri last year, urged women to check their breasts regularly in the shower, and if they were really exhausted, “don’t push yourselves”.
Every year in Northland, around 160 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is running its annual Pink Ribbon Street Appeal on October 27 and 28 to raise vital funds for breast cancer research, education and patient support.
Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo will be among thousands of volunteers who will take to the streets on Friday and Saturday.
“I don’t think there’s a family in Northland, or New Zealand for that matter, that hasn’t been personally affected by the trauma of breast cancer,” Cocurullo said.
“My own family has been deeply impacted by breast cancer, so I can speak from experience of the importance of early detection and treatment.
“I urge Northlanders to join me in showing their support - a gold coin donation is all it takes to make a difference.”
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner said it’s only thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders that the charity could carry out its life-saving work.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania also backs the Pink Ribbon appeal and urged fellow Northlanders to show their support.
“Breast cancer takes far too many of our Northland mums, nans, aunties and sisters. Showing support for Pink Ribbon will help the Breast Cancer Foundation save more of our wāhine toa,” Tepania said.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner said as the charity didn’t receive any government funding, “it’s only thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders that we can carry out our life-saving work”.
“Your donations will bring us closer to our vision of zero deaths from breast cancer,” Rayner said.
Katherine Froggatt is offering free, 40-minute “discovery calls” for anyone who wants to talk about their health concerns. She also has a free online webinar on November 15 at 7.30pm. Email hello@katherinefroggatt.co.nz to inquire.
Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering health, food, lifestyle, business and animal welfare issues.
