Marianne

About me

I found my lump on the first day of the new millennium. I was then diagnosed the week after being made redundant from a job where I had worked for almost 17 years - my life then changed in many ways!

I had a wide excision and a complete auxiliary clearance, and sadly a rather severe wound infection, followed by the news that the initial operation hadn’t been a success. 

Since I was at the front of the queue when the boobies were given out, I managed (with great success) to have a further excision. This was followed by radiotherapy, FEC chemotherapy and then no further drugs or treatment (since my cancer was negative cancer and not a hormone lead cancer) – my lump was grade 3 / stage 3.

I was in my early 40s when I was diagnosed, with a daughter who was 13 – not the best time for her.

And whilst I felt very concerned and worried about the uncertainty that I felt I had put my family in, there was nothing to do other than all strap ourselves down for a rollercoaster ride that we sometimes didn’t enjoy at all - and one we couldn’t get off until the end of treatment!

Once I had escaped treatment, I took myself off to university, since it was something I always felt I had missed out on. And with no job demands, it was an easy decision to make and I am eternally grateful for the wonderful gift of life that I have been given.

Life took another unexpected turn at the beginning of 2023. Following a routine mammogram, I was called back and found that I had breast cancer in the other breast. 

My initial reaction was to have a double mastectomy, but following guidance from my eminent surgeon, a further lumpectomy was suggested which was a great success and gave me symmetry with the other breast. 

Now I have 2 breasts that match (instead of little and very large – something I had never questioned before, since I was able to hide myself with scarves and oversized tops). 

A radical operation that didn’t involve any stitches (just surgical glue that eventually fell away after a few weeks), very little pain and a day case. 

Following surgery, I had 5 days of intensive radiotherapy and was then discharged. My second cancer was Grade 2 / Stage 1 invasive ductal, ER positive, HER2 negative.