Last September, I became a carer for my mum. Previously, she had been a fit and healthy woman, but in 2023, she was diagnosed with myeloma, a rare and incurable form of blood cancer.

I knew once my mum started treatment it would change her, and it did – massively. My mum and I did the London Marathon in April last year, and five months later she was having chemo. Cancer turned her life upside down: when the GP told us that treatment was available that could help her lead a normal life – albeit without providing a cure – what they didn’t tell us was that we’d have to adjust to a new normal.

Five years ago, I changed career to become a journalist. My mum told me to “pursue my dreams”, but when she became ill, I had to step up, and I made the huge decision to give up my job. This left me devastated and scared; I was still trying to make it in the industry, and I knew that if I wanted to return to my career, I’d have to start all over again.

However, I also know that I won’t regret the time spent caring for my mum, and I will regret it if I don’t. My mum is my best friend – we travelled together and she got me into open water swimming and running. She made me the person I am today, yet I sometimes have scary thoughts about the future: how will I cope without her when she is such a huge part of my life?

“Being an unpaid carer has a huge mental toll on me – here’s what I want people to know”