Letters of Love: Mum's Words Inspire Charity

Amy Leslie, now 22, keeps unopened letters from her mother, Danielle, who passed away from breast cancer in September 2010. Danielle, a professional dancer, died just over a year after her own mother, Sylvie Henry, succumbed to the same disease. Before their deaths, Danielle and Sylvie, who also ran a dance school, co-founded the breast cancer charity Future Dreams with £100.

Danielle left memory boxes for Amy and her brothers, containing gifts and letters for significant life milestones. Amy received a symbolic 'key to adulthood' upon turning 18. Sylvie, who died in July 2009, was diagnosed before Amy's birth, and Danielle was diagnosed when Amy was one. Both had periods of remission before the cancer returned, prompting the launch of the charity in 2008.

Amy recalls her mother shielding her children from her treatment's effects with "funny hats." The pair organized dance shows, including one at London's Savoy hotel, to fundraise, transforming the fear of cancer into an "amazing charity." Though Amy experienced anger and grief upon attending university, therapy helped her process these feelings.

Future Dreams House, established five years ago, now provides support for individuals impacted by breast cancer, attracting visitors from across the UK. Amy, a newly qualified primary school teacher, has begun breast cancer risk discussions and will undergo screening at 25 due to her family history. She remains committed to the charity's mission of ensuring no one faces breast cancer "alone or without hope."