KATH

Hi I’m Kathryn & I was 58 when I found a lump in my right breast on holiday, here’s my story I hope others can learn & take the positives from.

I was on holiday December 22 and a week or so into my holiday I lay on my front on my sunbed for a change & I felt a strange, uncomfortable feeling in my right breast. It felt tender & a little ‘sore,’ just odd, so later that day I had a good feel, pressing around the area which only felt tender to the touch. I did not feel anything whilst carrying on with every day life.

 I didn’t think much about it until the next time about a week or so later. I lay on my front again and it was the same feeling of tenderness again as soon as I lay flat on my front and once a little pressure was on my chest. I went inside & did another breast inspection, feeling around the tender area again standing up & still didn’t find the lump I was searching for. 

I was lucky enough to be away for a month & this carried on for the next 2/3 weeks until one night I decided to ‘cop a feel’ when lying on my back in bed as this feeling was still bothering me. This night I finally felt a lump, I asked my husband if he could feel it too, hoping it was in my imagination !! He too felt the lump which wasn’t a pea sized, round lump I was expecting & had read about. This was an odd shape but quite firm to the touch but I could only feel it when I lay on my back. 

Luckily we were flying home in 2 days time so I emailed a private GP I had seen five years before & asked her to refer me back to the breast clinic I had visited 5 yrs earlier. I was in the clinic within 2 days of my return & diagnosed with ER+, PR+ &’HER 2+3 breast cancer after a long week of waiting . This was around a year after my annual mammogram. I was not shocked, I just knew that’s what it was after another mammogram & ultrasound confirmed it. A week later I was at the Christie chatting to an oncologist about my treatment program & started chemotherapy at the end if that week, so fast so not much time to dwell, the best thing for me !!

Obviously telling my two sons, Mum & sister was upsetting but I just cracked on with a very positive attitude that this was not going to get me !! 

The Christie are amazing everyone there is so caring, they looked after me going through six rounds of IV chemo plus an injection for the HER 2 + every three weeks. I had a lumpectomy with removal of five lymph nodes after the IV chemo was finished, still continuing with an injection of Phesgo every three weeks for a year.  I have also had five rounds of radiotherapy six weeks after surgery which wasn’t too bad, just made me very tired couple of weeks after for a week or two. 

I’m pleased & relieved to say I’m now cancer free & trying to move on & live life for today. Back in the gym , learning to play Padel, travelling as much as I can & thinking positively going forwards, appreciate the small things in life. I will now have an annual check up once a year unless I have any issues so my message is always get anything  checked out that doesn’t  feel right for you, check your breasts regularly & especially also remember to check whilst lying on your back in bed, on a sun bed on holiday where ever you have the opportunity. 

I’m enjoying fundraising for Prevent Breast Cancer find their website & please take the opportunity to educate yourselves on how to thoroughly check your  breasts with their demonstrations.