Regaining Relevance After Breast Cancer: My Journey to a New Career in a New Country

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Breast cancer is a disease that can have far-reaching effects on a person's life, both personally and professionally. When I was diagnosed in January 2021, I was at the peak of my career, managing a large and diverse portfolio and leading the largest team in my workplace. But then, my world was turned upside down as I underwent a year of treatments which included 6 months of brutal chemotherapy, two major surgeries, and radiotherapy.

Throughout my treatment, I tried to maintain a sense of control over both my personal and professional life, but it was a struggle. I tried to keep up with my work duties, but found myself feeling increasingly uncomfortable and marginalized in the office. Eventually, I was pushed out of my job unceremoniously without warning or process, leaving me feeling lost and uncertain about my future and distrustful of the people I had been managing and working with.

But I refused to let this ordeal or breast cancer define me. Once I came out the other end at the end of 2021, then dealing with the gut wrenching loss of my favourite older brother, who sadly lost his valiant battle with cancer a few months later (we were both diagnosed with cancer within 6 weeks of each other), I decided to take the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream and move to Bulgaria to connect with my heritage, learn the language, and obtain my citizenship.

My Bulgarian father's dream for all his kids, which he had tried to set up for me when I was 18 years old, but hard core communist Sofia and all its grimness to me as an 18year old from beautiful liberal New Zealand, had me running for the hills, well London actually, with no clear plan, money or luggage.

Fast forward 42 years, again with no clear plan, a bit of money and a small suitcase, I took another leap of faith, 8 months ago, to move to Bulgaria and fulfill my father's dream and my own life goal, to learn to speak the language and obtain my Bulgarian citizenship...and everything fell into place.

I found a renewed sense of purpose and passion in my life, and I realized that my experiences with breast cancer had given me a unique perspective that I could use to inspire and empower others.

After a 6 month "dipping my toes" stint as Marketing Manager for 3 local restaurant brands, I'm proud to say that I have now landed a fantastic new role as the Commercial Manager for VEO Worldwide Services, Bulgaria. With 700 employees in 11 countries, I will be responsible for building and managing teams across Europe including the UK.

FYI VEO is the trusted partner of French Company NOZ, who have been around since 1976 and are the European leader in the field of liquidation. VEO's tagline "No Waste Just Value" says it all!

Who would have thought liquidation was a thriving and lucrative business around for that long?! I had never heard of this concept or their business model before I applied for a job and was invited to attend a recruitment day. At the end of the day, I didn't expect to be shoulder tapped and offered this managerial role either!

It's a completely new career path, but one that I'm excited to explore. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? My journey has not been easy, and I've had to overcome many obstacles along the way, but I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to find their own path after breast cancer.

Relevance deprivation syndrome can be a challenge for many breast cancer survivors, but it's important to remember that it's possible to regain a sense of relevance in both our personal and professional lives. It takes determination, resilience, and a willingness to take risks and explore new opportunities. But with these qualities, anything is possible.