Vickie Maye: My 'ground zero' cancer diagnosis 20 years ago

On the day the Twin Towers were attacked, Vickie Maye was shown a worrying X-ray of her chest. As the 20th anniversary approaches, she reflects on how she rebuilt her life 

Life after cancer can be wonderful, says Vickie Maye. Picture: Natalie Ryan

There’s never any escaping the anniversary of 9/11. An event that shook the world to its core, no matter how many years have passed, it will always be remembered.

The constant reminders have a deeper resonance for me. September 11 2001 was the day that I was shown an X-ray of my chest, a doctor circling in pen a large hazy cloud in the centre of the film. In a few days, I would be told it was a malignant tumour.