The Begining

Sometime in 2014, Brenda found a lump in her left breast. She asked me to feel it for a second opinion. It was very hard and dense…I felt sick. Brenda attended an appointment at her GP practice that same week and was seen by Dr Helga Rhein. Dr Rhein quickly identified the lump but immediately advised Brenda that it was benign, referring to it as ‘stringy muscle’. Dr Rhein stated that there was no requirement to refer Brenda for further tests. The lump remained and although Brenda did have some anxiety over the lump, she consciously reminded herself of what Dr Rhein had advised her and she worked hard to convince herself that any concern she still had over the lump was silly, because her GP had checked it and concluded that it was benign…after all, if there was any concern at all, the GP would have referred her to the breast clinic – right?!…

In 2016 (at 53 years old) Brenda received a letter for her first routine breast screening appointment. Ten days after her appointment she received a letter stating that the results of her mammogram had been inconclusive. She was asked to reattend for a second mammogram. On the day of the follow up scan, Brenda was informed that the result was clear. It was at this point that Brenda asked why both mammograms hadn’t picked up the lump in her left breast that had been there since 2014. The nurse was unable to answer this question but did proceed to carry out a physical examination and confirmed that she too could feel the lump. The nurse immediately carried out an ultrasound of Brendas left breast and also done a biopsy there and then. Brenda was advised to attend the breast clinic a week later and to bring me with her. At this point, Brenda and I knew.

One week later we attended the appointment with a consultant who confirmed breast cancer. It was described as a small low grade ductal carcinoma. He stated that it would be easily dealt with and there would be no requirement for a mastectomy. Brendas treatment would be a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy, and ten years of hormone therapy. The consultant advised Brenda that he didn’t think the cancer had been there for very long. He was surprised when we informed him that the same lump identified as the cancer, had in fact been present for at least 2 years and had also been checked by Brendas GP without a referral being made for a mammogram or scan.

Post lumpectomy brenda receives 15 sessions of radio-therapy, which she tolerates extremely well, thereafter is put on long term hormone therapy.

Soon after the lumpectomy followed by the radio- therapy, we attend consultation Brenda told the procedure went extremely well, also confirming lump that brenda had carried for 2.5 yrs + was gone, advised 5 yrs before all clear is given, but reiterated was small low grade cancer, unlikely to re-occur.