A letter to myself

There was a trend in 2025 on the internet called, “Taking my younger self out for coffee”.

It is fairly self-explanatory. A person imagines taking him or herself out for coffee as though the clock has gone back a decade or two and imparting wisdom and warmth that things will get better, discussing all the ways in which the adult has changed from the young person who was perhaps worried and naive and generally reflecting on life over a drink.

The challenge invites people to revisit their past with compassion, acknowledge their personal growth, and offer themselves the love and wisdom they may have needed at the time. 

Becky Edmunds, who works for Tenovus Cancer Care as our Fundraising Events Executive, takes a sip of her coffee and reflects.

“Eight years ago I’d worried I had made the biggest mistake of my life. I decided to drop out of Uni. 

At the time I was studying illustration and was coming up to the end of my second year; I hated the course and decided it wasn’t for me. The tipping point came when I went to New York as part of my Uni course and met with some of the best New York Times illustrators. 

What should have been an inspiration to me about what could be achieved I realised the reality sink in and led me to taking a step in the opposite direction. Those illustrators said they didn’t know if they would have jobs next month as the profession was so precarious. I knew I wanted stability in my career, so I left and desperately wanted to study Event Management at Uni, but as I had already used up two years of funding, to go back and re-study, I’d have to fund it myself, which I couldn’t afford to do. I was devasted and worried I’d made a huge mistake.

At the time I was working part-time in bar work to keep busy, but after dropping out of Uni, I was starting to look for full time work. Despite the fact I’d been working since I was 15 and had several years’ experience as a receptionist for the University, I was getting turned away from administration jobs for lack of experience.

I worried that my mum and dad were disappointed in me for dropping out. I was one of the first one in the family to go to university and now I felt I had let them down too. It was a worrying time and had someone sat me down and said it will be okay, you will be ok, I may not be sharing this story with you now.

My break came when my auntie, who at the time worked for Tenovus Cancer Care, recommended that I volunteer with the charity in head office to gain some experience in administration/ office working and help build my confidence. She also mentioned that the fundraising team hosted many events and maybe there’d be opportunities there to work with them and learn more about Event Management.

Being in the office every Wednesday as a volunteer I got to be around all the excitement of the fundraising team, and I’d hear about all their exciting events and activities happening. I’d started volunteering to improve my skills and boost my CV, but I ended up gaining experience in Event Management – I couldn’t quite believe my luck.  

I’d only been volunteering for about two months, when the fundraising team’s administrator moved roles to cover a maternity cover for a couple of months. I applied for the role and because I already knew the charity and the team (and the job originally was only supposed to be for three months until the person came back from maternity leave) I was given the role as the Community, Corporate and Events Administrator for the fundraising team.

Just a week after officially starting as a paid member of staff -  I went to my first Lovelight concert in Cardiff, it was very moving and emotional and I did shed a tear. People were lighting candles in memory of loved ones and the music was so stirring too.

It's funny sometimes how life works out. When I dropped out of university and found out I couldn’t afford to restudy in Event Management, I didn’t think I’d ever have a career in events and that I’d made a huge mistake. But that one decision to start volunteering at Tenovus changed my life.

Every day I get to work on events, doing something I love and I’m so grateful for that. Funnily, it’s my 8-year anniversary this November, so it’s nice to recall how this all started for me and how far I’ve come in that time. Who would have thought back when I dropped out that some years down the line I would be meeting the  Princess Royal and Rob Brydon, not at the same time, but I must remind my 20 year old self, that things are good and I am glad I took that leap, even though it seemed absolutely scarry at the time.