Young Mansfield mum with terminal cancer admits '˜I should not be here'

A Mansfield mum with terminal breast cancer who says vital research has prolonged her life is backing a campaign to raise £1 million.

Leanne Cann has been battling the deadly disease for four years, has undergone gruelling operations and treatment but was given the devastating news that she would never be cancer free.

However, the 32-year-old says her battle with breast cancer would have been lost already if it wasn’t for the advances in diagnostics and treatment, and has offered her support to the University of Nottingham’s Breast Cancer Research new campaign.

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The campaign, #BreastCancerAndMe, has a seven-figure target, and all the cash will be ploughed into lab work at the cancer research centre’s in Nottingham and Derby.

Leanne said: “I sometimes think I shouldn’t be here - without the treatment the cancer wouldn’t be dormant.

“I’ve had a lot of time to get used to it. I spend time with my family and help raise awareness and money to fund future research.”

Leanne was just 28-years-old with a new baby when she was diagnosed.

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She said: “I had to have a number of operations to remove lumps and tumours that kept growing back.

“I had a mastectomy but while I was recovering another tumour grew through. I had so many operations on my chest that my arm is now damaged from it.”

But they couldn’t keep operating as the tumours grew. I was told my cancer was terminal.”

But that was three-years-ago and due to the treatment Leanne received the cancer growth has now stabilised.

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“It’ll never go away, I’ll never know when it will come back until it starts growing again,” added Leanne.

Professors at the University of Nottingham are working on innovative research to detect breast cancer early, stop it spreading and to develop targeted treatments that will help save lives.

Research includes developing the world’s first blood test to detect breast cancer early, stopping cancer from spreading around the body and developing targeted treatments - for both hormone sensitive cancers and triple negative breast cancer.

One of the flagship fundraising events is Life Cycle 6, a 1,400 mile sponsored bike ride led by the University’s vice-chancellor, Professor Sir David Greenaway, and a team of 12 riders.

Mean while, the university is asking other people to join in fundraising activity to hit the £1 million target- holding bake sales, charity events, sponsored walks, and bike rides.