Maren Sheldon, co-founder of the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!, has opened up about the profound changes in her life following the death of her twin sister, Kris Hallenga, who battled stage four breast cancer for 15 years before passing away on May 4, 2024. The sisters, who grew up in Germany and later moved to Northamptonshire, England, shared a close bond from birth, intensified by shared experiences and challenges, including their parents’ divorce and the loss of their father at age 20.

Hallenga was diagnosed at 23 years old, after multiple visits to a GP over eight months with symptoms initially dismissed as hormonal. By the time she received a diagnosis of incurable breast cancer that had already spread to her spine, her prognosis was just two to three years. Despite this, she lived with the disease for 15 years, during which she and Sheldon founded CoppaFeel!, a charity focused on raising awareness about breast cancer signs in young people. Since 2020, the charity has raised over £26 million and grown to employ more than 50 staff.

During her illness, Hallenga became a prominent figure, recognized with a Pride of Britain award, the publication of her bestselling book "Glittering a Turd," the making of a BBC documentary, and friendships with celebrities such as Dawn French, who wrote the book’s foreword. Sheldon, who set aside her gardening business to support her sister fully, was by Hallenga’s side throughout, ultimately becoming her primary carer as the cancer spread to her brain, impairing mobility and speech. The sisters spent Hallenga’s final months cocooned together in her flat in Newquay, Cornwall, where Sheldon describes learning about the intense realities of caregiving.

Following Hallenga’s death, Sheldon faced a difficult period of mourning, initially isolating herself but later finding comfort by scattering her sister’s ashes in meaningful places, including the Cornish sea and mountains during a fundraising trek. Sheldon maintains a presence of her sister in her daily life, keeping some ashes in a ring and a tequila bottle in her kitchen, accompanied by her husband, Graham, and their six-year-old son, Herbie. Sheldon has described the loss of her twin as losing a part of herself, underscoring the unique connection they shared, which she feels is hard to articulate or fully comprehend.

Despite the grief, Sheldon has begun to reclaim her own identity, recognizing a purpose beyond caregiving and CoppaFeel!. She notes that the close integration of her sister in her family life made boundaries blurred, and now she is focusing more on her husband and son. Sheldon has also sought solace in friendships with other sets of twins who understand the nuances of such loss without requiring explanation.

Sheldon is aware of her own health risks, undergoing annual MRI scans. Although testing showed Hallenga did not carry any known breast cancer genes, Sheldon is considered high risk due to family history and remains attentive to changes in her health, having recently undergone surgery to remove a benign papilloma. She declined preventative mastectomy but remains vigilant.

Though Sheldon’s role at CoppaFeel! is less hands-on, she continues to advocate for young people’s breast cancer awareness. She highlights ongoing challenges, including young individuals being dismissed by doctors due to their age, emphasizing that the charity’s mission remains vital.

Now based in Falmouth, Cornwall, Sheldon balances memories with resilience, expressing a readiness to embrace life’s uncertainties. She describes her current phase as an exciting new chapter that allows room for growth, freedom, and opportunities beyond the shadow of loss.