Carly lost her mum and her grandmother to breast cancer, so she almost expected to get a diagnosis at some point. But it came much sooner than she thought, and presented a lot of challenges - mental and physical.
No matter how positive you are, you'll always need extra support
Carly was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2019 when she was 37. Because of the history of breast cancer on her mother's side, she had somewhat prepared herself for the possibility of getting it one day. But genetic testing would later confirm she had most likely developed the cancer as a result of a mutated BRCA1 gene on her father's side.
After going through 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, Carly's mental and physical health was massively impacted. The news of having a genetic mutation was also difficult to take, as it meant her children might also one day develop breast cancer.
On this episode of the Breast Cancer Now podcast, Carly talks about how she navigated her anxieties, as well as how she decided to share her story on social media to reach others who might be affected. Tune in to find out more.
I watched my mum's mental health decline massively after her primary breast cancer treatment finished, so I was aware that there was this sense of falling off the cliff edge at that end.
Carly
Everyone’s experience is unique to them. This podcast contains the personal story and experience of the speaker, rather than that of Breast Cancer Now.
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