Did you know women only become eligible for breast screening once you reach the age of 50? That’s like a million years away, right? As someone who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35, I’m here to tell you it’s possible to get breast cancer at any age.
Most breast cancer campaigns in the media are directed at older women. Therefore, young women need to be more informed and actively checking their breasts each month for anything out of the norm.
I must be honest and say I did not actively check my breasts each month (slap on the wrist for me) before my diagnosis. I thought I was fit as a fiddle and cancer was something that happened to older people. I had a little one-and-a-half-year-old boy at the time so life was busy. I found a lump on the side of my breast, right beside my armpit by accident as I was getting into bed one night. I went to my GP a few days later and was referred to the breast clinic. Luckily, I had caught it early so had a lumpectomy, lymph node removal, cycle of IVF, radiotherapy and I’m currently undergoing hormone therapy for the next few years.
It’s been three years since my diagnosis and I’ve met some amazing young women along the way; some of whom were diagnosed during their twenties, early thirties and during pregnancy.
I’m not here to scare the bejaysus out of you (honest!) but with knowledge comes power, know it can happen to young women too. Be breast aware and “if in doubt, get checked out!” The earlier it’s caught, the better the outcome.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Ireland.
Alice is our traffic coordinator at Beat.
For more information, visit breastcancerresearch.ie
