Jonathan & Rebecca’s Story
Meet the Muggleton Family
Jonathan, his wife Rebecca and their children Charlie, 10, and Amelia, 12, are among the many families supported by the Ruth Strauss Foundation. Facing an incurable cancer diagnosis, Jonathan has found strength in RSF’s specialist support, helping Rebecca and him navigate this journey and prepare their children for the future.
It has been, as he explains, an emotional rollercoaster since his diagnosis with mucosal melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer, in 2020. At first there was hope – “We were ahead of the game, we were beating it,” as Rebecca puts it. But by late 2021, the cancer had spread further.
Despite intensive treatment, options are now limited and the future remains uncertain. “You live three months at a time,” says Jonathan, “which is quite terrifying. But we’re in as good a place as we have been at any time since I was diagnosed.” Throughout this journey, the Ruth Strauss Foundation has been there for the family, helping them to have honest and supportive conversations with their children.
”“We’ve been very open throughout, explaining as much as we know, but in a way that they can digest.”
Johnathon
Finding Normality in the Midst of Cancer:
Jonathan’s Story of Strength, Family and Cycling
When Jonathan was at the Royal Marsden hospital in London for chemotherapy, Rebecca brought the kids in to visit. “They could see that chemo isn’t something scary or frightening,” she says. Jonathan and Rebecca have noticed that while their children absorb the complex and upsetting information, it can take them time to process it and questions often come later at unexpected moments.
Friends have stepped up to support the couple, but Jonathan finds it important that cancer doesn’t dominate every conversation. “I just want to be normal,” he says. “You don’t want to be ‘that guy’ with cancer. Having certain anchors in your life is important, like going out with friends and not talking about me.” Another anchor for Jonathan is cycling, where he “can be just a guy with a cycle helmet on a road somewhere, anonymous”. He has been inspired by the defiant attitude of Sir Chris Hoy, also 49, the six-times Olympic champion cyclist who is living with stage 4 prostate cancer. “I’ve always returned to my running and cycling as almost a challenge to myself after surgery or treatment,” says Jonathan. “Seeing Sir Chris Hoy raising awareness of what people with stage 4 can do is amazing.”
Here To Help
The Ruth Strauss Foundation has been a source of strength for Jonathan.
For him, the benefit of RSF’s counselling is “having someone to talk to who isn’t a friend or a medical professional”. The RSF Family Support Team is made up of registered counsellors and trained professionals who know how to support families through difficult conversations, helping them feel reassured and less alone.
Reach Out
We’re Here to Help
If you’re facing the unimaginable, you don’t have to go through it alone. We’re here to help you with talking to children about your incurable cancer diagnosis and anything related to it.
Don’t wait until you’re in crisis. The earlier you access support, the better equipped you’ll be to manage difficult conversations, protect your emotional wellbeing, and help your children feel secure and supported.
