Halo Celebrates International Women’s Day: Hayley Burroughs’ Journey of Strength and Healing

There are a lot of stories that come out of Halo about the power of exercise and exercising together. But on International Women’s Day on March 8 – when women step forward in solidarity with each other across the globe – we’ve been hearing how that works here and meeting some incredible women, female warriors who walk through our doors each day determined to spread joy to others, even while going through the toughest of times. We met up with one of them in their favourite class (Yoga!) to hear their thoughts on grief and grace, connection and kindness and why it matters to us all.

Hayley Burroughs is testament to that as she spreads her joy in life every time she walks into Halo’s Centre in Ynysawdre. It was in 2018 when her daughter was six years old that she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2020 she was told it was spread and she was back in for a second round of treatment. She’s now waiting for some genetic results to shape next steps but ongoing treatment across these years has left here tired and unwell.

“I think I’ve always been quite a positive person, but this makes you appreciate life more,” says Hayley, now 50. “My diagnosis – and it knocked my legs out from under me – has made me realise you never know what is going on in people’s lives, or how much distress they’re living with. For me, every little ache you think might spell something going on. It can feel incredibly lonely when you’re awake at 3am and living a fight in your own head, wondering and worrying about what is next.

“But it also reminds me just how important it is to be kind. Everybody has their path and goes through difficult times. Imagine how much nicer the world would be if we all understood that and were kinder to each other. And I see that in action at Ynysawdre,” says Hayley.

“Receiving a cancer diagnosis is an overwhelming experience filled with fear and uncertainty. During this challenging time, I found comfort and strength in Yoga and Pilates,” says Hayley.

“My two instructors – Mel and Doug – are fantastic. And these mind/body exercises they have taught me have really made a difference to my overall wellbeing by helping me manage stress and improve my mental heath. Yoga’s focus on breath control and meditation has allowed me to find a clear head space and sense of calmness throughout all the chaos of treatment. These gentle movements and postures have helped my physical flexibility, too, and alleviated some of the pain and fatigue associated with cancer treatment.”