At just 20 years old, many young women are studying, travelling, building careers, or dreaming about the future. For Kayla Davidson, life took an unexpected turn. In 2005, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her right breast.
With her boyfriend Paul by her side (they’d only been together less than a year), Kayla faced a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and five years of hormone therapy (tamoxifen). Those early days were a whirlwind of appointments and treatments, but they were also the start of a journey that would show just how strong and compassionate Kayla could be.
By 2007, Kayla began volunteering with breast cancer charities. She threw herself into fundraising, media work and sharing her story, turning her experience into a positive to give courage to others going through similar challenges.
Life moved forward in beautiful ways too. In 2014, Kayla and Paul, now engaged, welcomed their daughter Chloe into the world, a healthy, happy little girl despite Kayla’s earlier worries about fertility after chemotherapy.
But in 2016, at just 31, Kayla faced another devastating blow: a new breast cancer diagnosis, this time in her left breast. She underwent more chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and radiotherapy. The cancer was triple negative, so hormone treatment wasn’t an option. Once again, she navigated treatment with grit, grace and the support of her loved ones.
After taking a break from volunteering to focus on her health and family, Kayla returned to it in 2020, determined to give back and make a difference.
In 2023, she and Paul were married, with their daughter Chloe proudly involved in the celebrations. This was a moment full of love and triumph after everything they’d been through together.
The following year, Kayla set up an online support group for women diagnosed with breast cancer in their 20s, creating a safe, understanding space for young women to connect. And in 2025, she qualified as a counsellor, with a special interest in supporting people who have been through treatment for breast cancer, turning her own difficult experiences into a source of hope and healing for others.
This year, we were thrilled to welcome Kayla to The House of Hope team as our Visitor Experience and Administration Assistant. Her warmth, empathy and lived experience are an incredible gift to the people who walk through our doors.
Kayla has words of support and encouragement for anyone going through a breast cancer journey: “Time is a healer. It’s not what you want to hear going through treatment, but with time, the worry of cancer will become less and less. One day it will not even be a thought in your head.
Take all the support you can. I needed counselling years later, as I was always trying to be positive and didn’t deal with my diagnosis properly. Be kind to yourself.”
Kayla’s story is one of courage, compassion, and the power of hope and proof that even in the face of life’s toughest challenges, it’s possible to create something beautiful. We are so proud to have her as part of our House of Hope family.
Time is a healer. It’s not what you want to hear going through treatment, but with time, the worry of cancer will become less and less. One day it will not even be a thought in your head.
