Rosie’s Story
Rosie was diagnosed at just 23 years old when she noticed something odd on one of her breasts. Living an active life, and given her age, Rosie didn’t think in a million years it could be cancer.
“I thought the lump was just a cyst or something. Never did I consider it could be cancer. I only booked myself in to see the GP because it had started to hurt, and I noticed it seemed to have gotten bigger. It was more an annoyance to me than a concern.”
How did you discover something unusual?
I don’t remember how I discovered my lump, and I don’t even remember when I discovered it. I was very small chested, and my lump grew quite close to the surface, so it made itself obvious to me and was hard to miss even without doing much digging!.
We’re you checking yourself regularly before being diagnosed?
No not really, I do remember learning about checking at school, so I had some awareness of it, but I guess I didn’t ever think breast cancer was something I had to be concerned about at the age of 23.
How long did you wait for a diagnosis after finding the lump?
It was about 5 months after finding the lump that I was diagnosed but that was my own fault for not going to the GP sooner. I was diagnosed just 6 days following my ultrasound and biopsies though so that was very quick. I was diagnosed with hormone negative and HER2 positive breast cancer. The lump was about 40mm x 30mm.
How soon after finding something did you book an appointment?
I think I left it about 4 months because I didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about. I thought the lump was just a cyst or something. Never did I consider it could be cancer. I only booked myself in to see the GP because it had started to hurt, and I noticed it seemed to have gotten bigger. It was more an annoyance to me than a concern.
What treatment plan did you follow?
I had chemotherapy first (paclitaxel and carboplatin) alongside HER2 targeted drugs (pertuzumab and trastuzumab) for about 5 months in total. Then I continued to have trastuzumab as an injection for another 7 months as a preventative. I had my surgery (double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction) a month and a half following the end of chemo and I did not need any radiation. I had a pathological complete response to my treatment.
Did you have any other symptoms?
My lump started to ache quite a bit especially if I bumped it on something (eg at the gym or my cat walking across me). I had no other symptoms other than this.
How long did you have to wait for a screening?
After my GP appointment I was referred to the breast unit and seen within two weeks.
What was the most challenging part?
The hardest part for me would be spending my 24th birthday mostly crying and sleeping. I had chemo the day before and was coming to the end of my treatment, so I was very low on energy, physically and emotionally, by that point. However, the following year I made up for it by spending my 25th birthday in Fuerteventura on a really relaxing solo holiday!
Also, losing my hair I found very hard too. I had long rainbow coloured hair, but I have embraced my natural brunette hair since it has grown back!
What advice would you give?
Just take each day as it comes and don’t be afraid to ask people for help with things.