CANCER gave Paula Griffin the courage to be who she always felt she was – a woman.
Paula was born male and struggled with identity for decades, becoming a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, workaholic to cope.
But after a diagnosis of bladder cancer, Paula found the strength to make the change.
“Cancer literally changed my life. Since killing that demon, I have become stronger and fitter, mentally and physically, and I’ve done things I never dreamed I could do,” she said.
“Before the diagnosis, I was an introvert, stuck in a rut, working my way to an early grave.
“But after cancer, I finally admitted to myself that I was transgender and began the process of transitioning. And since, I’ve been out there, doing things I could never have believed I could do. It has given me a new beginning – I feel like the me of 30 years ago.”
Now, grateful for the life-saving treatment she received, Paula, 60, from Bermondsey, south-east London, is taking part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life at Hyde Park on July 27.
As part of her transformation, Paula returned to one of her first loves – football. She is now goalkeeper for the Goal Diggers and members of the team plan to join her at Race for Life.
Paula’s sister Kathryn will also be taking part in Race for Life in Falmouth, Cornwall.
By her own admission, Paula was a heavy-drinking, chain-smoking, workaholic when she became ill in early 2017.
“I was drinking heavily, smoking up to 20 cigarettes a day and working all the time. My mind was a mess. I was just trying to blot my life out and get some sleep,” she said.
She noticed blood in her urine and developed an incontinence problem. But it was only when she began to suffer stomach pains that she finally took herself to hospital.
Tests revealed a dark shadow on her bladder and her urine sample was 50% blood. She was admitted immediately and began treatment.
“I was told I needed surgery, but I had no idea how serious it was – but it was stage three cancer. Luckily it had been caught before it spread,” said Paula.
“I had a radical cystectomy – the removal of the bladder – and was given a stoma and a urostomy bag – my very own ‘bag for life’!”
Tragically, while Paula was in surgery, her older sister Kerry, who had been receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, died – an enormous loss to her and her family.
After two weeks recuperation, Paula was discharged from hospital.
“This experience was my wake-up call. I resolved to root out the things in my life that had caused me to get to this situation. I threw my cigarettes in the bin and stopped the heavy drinking. I finally admitted to myself I was transgender and began transitioning,” she said.
Since then, Paula has never looked back.
She changed her job, she became goalkeeper for three football teams – Goal Diggers, Clapton CFC and Peckham Town – played in the Women’s FA Cup, took part in the London Marathon, crossed the Andes on foot to Machu Picchu, has done some modelling and appeared in two documentaries.
“Since I was a child, I knew I was the wrong gender. When I came out, I wrote my sisters a letter and one them said: ‘Yes, and….?! We didn’t know if you were gay or wanted to be a woman!’
“I’d had a couple of opportunities to come out, but I felt I couldn’t because of all the people around me. But when I did, very few were bothered – I had so much support.
“The process took about a year. It was an amazing feeling when I got my new passport and it had an ‘F’ for female in it.
“Now I feel so much more confident. I’m not any taller but I feel taller. I have so much to look forward to. As for my stoma – my ‘bag-for-life’ – it’s part of me now and not the huge problem I thought it would be.”
Via her return to football, Paula unexpectedly found herself filming with footballer Peter Crouch.
“I did two lots of filming with Peter Crouch – one for Discovery Plus and one for Amazon Prime. There was a bit of a gap in between them and Peter’s face dropped when we met the second time. He remembered me – but not quite as Paula!”
Paula knows how vital it is to raise funds for life-saving research. Money raised will help scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease- to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.
That’s why it will be an emotional moment when Paula and friends cross the finish line at Race for Life.
Paula and team mate Danielle Morris recreated the ‘finish line feeling’ experienced at Race for Life to inspire people to sign up for raceforlife.org.
Paula said: “Why do I Race for Life? Because it’s the kind of work that Cancer Research UK does that helped save my life. There are thousands of people like me who would not be here today without their research. They want to accelerate progress – and we need to help them.”
People of all ages and abilities are welcome to take part in Race for Life. There are 3k, 5k and 10k events as well as Pretty Muddy- a 5k mud-splattered obstacle course – and a children’s version, Pretty Muddy Kids.
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with headline sponsor Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, is an inspiring series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research.
London events are taking place this summer at:
10th May – Regent’s Park. 3k, 5k, 10k events.
18th May – Finsbury Park. 3k, 5k, 10k.
24th May – Clapham Common, Windmill Drive. 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Pretty Muddy Kids.
4th June – Battersea Park, 5k.
14th June – Hampstead Heath, off East Heath Road. 3k, 5k, 10k.
22nd June – Richmond, Old Deer Park. 3k, 5k.
22nd June, Epsom, Nonsuch Park. 3k, 5k, 10k.
29th June – Blackheath Common, Off Prince Charles Road. 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Pretty Muddy Kids.
29th June – Croydon, Lloyd Park. 3k, 5k, 10k.
5th July – Kingston and Kempton Park, 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids.
12th July – Victoria Park. 3k, 5k, 10k.
26th July – Beckenham Place Park. 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Pretty Muddy Kids.
Every year around 36,900 people are diagnosed with cancer in London*.
Lynn Daly, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for London, said: “We’re grateful to Paula and her family and friends for their support.
”Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime** but all of us can support the research that will beat it. We’re proud that Race for Life has had such a positive impact. Every pound raised supports our life-saving work, which has helped double cancer survival in the UK over the last 50 years.
“We’d love people to join us at Race for Life. There’s an event for everyone. They are strictly non-competitive, which means everyone can have a go – and love every minute. There’s no pressure to finish in a certain time, just give it what you can. Lace up and join in!
“Whether people are living with cancer, taking part in honour of or in memory of a loved one with cancer, in it for the medals or just for the fun of fundraising, there is a place for everyone.”
Since it began in 1994, more than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life, contributing millions of pounds towards life-saving research.
Cancer Research UK funded scientists led the development of the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine, which is expected to prevent almost 90 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK. The charity was a key player in the development of radiotherapy which now benefits millions of cancer patients worldwide. Cancer Research UK played a leading role in the development of abiraterone – a drug that gives men with advanced prostate cancer more time with their friends and family.
Andy Curran, Chief Executive of Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, said: “We are incredibly proud to continue as headline sponsor for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, with the opportunity to encourage participation across the country.
“By working to raise funds for life-saving research, we can move towards a future where people live longer and healthier lives, free from the fear of cancer.”
To enter, visit raceforlife.org
