By Elliott West
“I just thought, it can’t be cancer – it’s not in my family. It was only due to the perseverance of my friends that I went for a mammogram and I was really shocked when they told me the lump was 14cm.”
Breast cancer survivor
Introduction
Being a woman is far from easy. Unlike men, women have to endure periods, pregnancy and the menopause. Mammograms and smear tests are a must but sadly some decide to avoid these vital tests through fear and it can lead to a devastating cancer diagnosis. I wish in this piece to concentrate on breast cancer which can lay dormant and undetected for years. A lump is treated as a cyst and pain is shrugged off as something that will pass. Breast cancer is a ticking time bomb and has to be defused at the earliest possible moment. If not it can spread at an alarming rate. That’s why it is so important for women to be familiar with their breasts, regularly check their breasts, and be familiar with how they look and feel so they can detect any changes.
Anyone who has been affected by cancer directly or indirectly will know how it can turn your life upside down. Yet in so many cases now due to the advancement of medical science, this diagnosis is far from being finite. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can reverse these nightmare scenarios and have produced so many cancer survivors, especially in the area of breast cancer. You can never guarantee cancer won’t return but the joy of hearing that bell ring to denote an all-clear after five years is extremely touching and emotional.
Keeping Abreast
The warning signs of breast cancer could be a lump in the breast or underarm, irritation to the breast tissue, redness or flaky skin in this area. Yet sometimes cancer lays dormant, deep under the breast tissue, small in size with no signs. Yet due to oestrogen, it can suddenly spring to life and become a potentially deadly grade-3 cancer. It can spread to becoming precancerous cells in the milk ducts and in some cases, the lymph nodes. However, if it avoids the lymph nodes and they remain clear, there is an excellent recovery rate.
Being given a cancer diagnosis, especially in breast cancer more often than not, causes the individual to radically change their way of life and thinking. This may involve a change in diet, giving up smoking and more healthy life with regular exercise. Yet the devastating news that Trisha Goddard now has terminal breast cancer, detected in a recommended mammogram sustaining a fall at home, shows that cancer can disappear and reappear. So I can not highlight enough the importance of regular mammograms. They are the crucial screenings that could save a life. It may seem undignified having to get undressed in front of a stranger but putting it off, could lead to stopping a lifesaving result. die from breast cancer in the UK – that’s nearly 1,000 deaths each month, 31 each day or one every 45 minutes. Breast cancer is the 4th most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Yet the survival rate during and after the five years is 86%. Around one in seven women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Worrying statistics but beatable.
Close to Home
It is important to realise that breast cancer can affect a partner, wife or family member. Cancer doesn’t care who it takes out and can be ruthless if it chooses to be or I’d allowed to be. The good news is that the survival rate is high and if caught early, even higher. Don’t ignore the signs, get checked be brave, and accept the treatment if required. I can’t applaud enough the work and care Macmillan nurses do to help and care for breast cancer patients and the dedication and love they give to their patients. This is a scary and worrying time for all involved and this brilliant organisation makes this life-changing experience so much easier.
