ICON Writers
When 47-year-old Lucy Pattullo found a lump in her breast in May 2021, she hoped it was a hormonal cyst. A healthy mother of two with no risk factors and a long corporate career, cancer was the last thing she expected. But what began as a routine check became a life-changing moment – one that ultimately set her on a new path of purpose, support and advocacy for others facing cancer.
A routine shower that changed everything
Lucy first noticed the lump while showering.
“I’ve always had quite lumpy breasts,” she says. “I wasn’t overly concerned, but I mentioned it that evening to a friend who’s a GP. She said, ‘Please go and get it checked.’ That was the moment things shifted,” Lucy explained.
Having used Nuffield Health Parkside Hospital previously, she booked into the One Stop Breast Clinic the next day. After mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies, the picture became clearer – and more serious.
“By the end of the biopsies, I realised things weren’t great. Everyone was kind and compassionate, but I could see it in their faces. It was a shock. I was healthy. It came from nowhere.”
Further tests revealed three tumours, dense breast tissue and a lymph node deposit. Within weeks Lucy had a double mastectomy.
Beginning treatment at Cancer Centre London
After surgery, Lucy was referred to neighbouring Icon Cancer Centre London (CCL) for treatment, where she met Medical Oncologist Dr Muireann Kelleher.
“I instantly felt safe with her. She asked, ‘How much do you want to know?’ I said, ‘Everything.’ She trusted me to educate myself and be involved in the decisions.”
Together they reviewed her pathology and Oncotype DX genomic results. Although her case initially suggested chemotherapy, the genomic profile showed no benefit.
“I remember begging Dr Kelleher for chemo because psychologically it felt like ‘throwing the kitchen sink at the cancer’. But she explained the science, and I trusted her.”
Lucy went on to receive 15 sessions of radiotherapy under Professor Anna Kirby’s care – treatments she could walk to from her home in south-west London.
“I felt like I lived at CCL for a while,” Lucy laughs. “But I felt so looked after. I was in and out with medication questions and side effects and being plunged into menopause overnight. Through it all, I always felt at home and supported.”
Life after treatment – establishing control
When radiotherapy finished, Lucy felt the same sudden shift many cancer patients experience.
“You finish treatment and then you’re just… out in the world again,” she said.
“Physically and psychologically you’re different, but life around you carries on.”
She continued returning to CCL for regular checkups and hormone suppression injections, giving her stability and reassurance. She also sought lymphatic drainage, oncology physio and anything that could support her recovery.
“I kept asking, ‘What can I do? How do I help myself get stronger and reduce the risk of recurrence?’ I wanted to take back control.”
Her search led her to the Pink Ribbon Pilates rehabilitation programme and the first step toward a new passion.
New purpose: from corporate career to cancer rehab specialist
Returning to her previous central London career no longer felt right.
“After everything I’d been through, I thought, ‘I can’t go back to financial services. I want to help people who’ve had cancer.’ If anything good could come from this, it was that I now had a new lens on life.”
Just weeks after finishing radiotherapy, Lucy began retraining – first with comprehensive Pilates qualifications and then specialising in clinical Pilates for breast cancer rehab.
“It wasn’t about Instagram-perfect fitness. It was about helping people feel strong, move and trust their bodies again.”
She went on to add qualifications in breast cancer rehabilitation, menopause and lymphoedema support, strength and conditioning, and oncology exercise medicine through FitMed – completing the programme just days before Icon Cancer Centre UK announced its partnership with them.
Today, Lucy works with clients one-to-one, teaching classes through the breast cancer charity Future Dreams, and sharing her knowledge with clinicians, recently delivering CPD training at the Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute (APPI) in Wimbledon. She now receives referrals from breast care nurses, physiotherapists and oncologists across the region.
“When patients come to me, they’re often vulnerable – they feel disconnected or unsure of their bodies. I can say, ‘I’ve walked some of that path. You’re not alone.’ That connection really matters.”
Advice for others facing a cancer diagnosis
Lucy encourages newly diagnosed patients to be informed and engaged.
“Don’t be afraid to learn. Not to second-guess your specialists, but so you can have meaningful conversations. Ask questions. Advocate for yourself, explain what’s important to you and your concerns about life beyond a diagnosis.”
Her consultant’s early advice still guides her:
“I asked what I’d done wrong. They said, ‘You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just unlucky. Don’t waste energy on that – you need it for the important things.’ That really stuck with me.”
Looking ahead: building a movement around exercise medicine
Lucy’s aspirations extend beyond her own classes. She wants to help embed exercise medicine as a standard part of the cancer pathway in the UK.
“As a community, we’re under supported when it comes to exercise. But exercise during and after treatment can be transformative and patients needs to be supported with personalised exercise prescriptions.”
“I want to bring together my corporate experience and my new skills in cancer rehab to help drive that momentum – whether through patient care, group classes or strategic change with my now-friends at Icon Cancer Centre London.”
At its heart, her mission is simple:
“I can’t change what happened to me. But if I can help even one person feel stronger, safer or more hopeful, that fills my cup.”
Find Lucy on Instagram: @rebalancemeuk