Our breast cancer fights must be listened to by GPs and no woman should be forgotten
Fifteen years ago, I found myself immersed in the world of breast cancer. It was my subject about which I wrote regularly, highlighting developments in treatment, the work of the breast cancer charities and the impressive women – and men – for whom it had invaded their lives.
My dearest friend from childhood had not survived her encounter with the disease and never reached 50. I developed it at 59 and, so far, it has not returned but there is always the possibility that it will ‘wake up’ and find its way to another part of my body. Once treatment is over, this concern remains in the minds of every breast cancer ‘survivor’ – as they are termed in the USA. Survivor for now perhaps.
Recently, I had lunch with three friends whom I have known for 74 years. Of the four, breast cancer has put three of us through the mill and, as I write, another – much younger – friend is living with Stage 4, now in her bones. It took an unreasonably long time for her GP to agree that acute back pain could be secondary breast cancer. The numbers are increasing and when it strikes the young, the disease tends to be more aggressive, so an early diagnosis and treatment are vital. For many, self-advocation will be necessary to persuade the GP that a referral to a breast clinic should be made.
Breast and Prostate Cancer
I am often asked how it is that breast cancer has received more research than prostate cancer. The answer must be that the women who developed the disease were determined to leave behind some sort of legacy, change an injustice or lobby for research. From being words spoken in hushed tones, these women shouted them from the rooftops.
However, thanks to actors like Neil Stuke, who gathered together Ray Winstone, Charles Dance, John Simm and Tamzin Outhwaite, to make the excellent short ‘Father’s Day’ for Prostate Cancer UK, awareness of this male cancer is catching up.
Fiona Macrae’s story leads to Insurancewith
As so often happens, out of something bad has come something very positive. Fiona Macrae’s primary cancer was diagnosed when her son, Cameron, was five months old. The GP told Fiona that the changes in her breast were ‘nothing to worry about’ but this delay in diagnosis meant the triad of treatments had to be administered – chemotherapy, followed by surgery and then radiotherapy.
Following 8 cycles of chemotherapy, Fiona thought a holiday would be a good idea but was horrified to discover the cost of the necessary travel insurance. Being an insurance broker was no help and the nature of the questions asked by her colleagues convinced her that her condition was infinitely worse than it actually was, prompting a return to her oncologist to find reassurance.
Anxious to do something to remedy the holiday insurance situation for people undergoing cancer treatment or with pre-existing conditions, Fiona created Insurancewith to offer appropriately priced travel insurance, with relevant, sensitive questions asked by people who understood the diseases. Fiona wanted also ‘to support the charities and causes that support our customers’. The Breast Cancer Haven – which closed during the pandemic – gave enormous support to Fiona during her breast cancer journey and taught her the importance of charities when the chips are so firmly down.
Insurancewith donates £1 from every policy to its Charitable Fund which, in turn, has donated £250,000 to the charities it supports since its launch in 2010.
Five years ago, Fiona’s cancer returned but she continues to work and lives a ‘balanced’ life, taking a cocktail of medications. She says that with treatments being less harsh and better, people are more able to travel, so she is determined to continue making sure that people – more and more of whom are being diagnosed with cancer – can also continue to live a varied life.
Men can’t really get it can they?
As happened to Fiona, the assumption that the patient is ‘too young for breast cancer’ is still believed by too many people – GPs included. I was shocked with the reaction from my local Sports Club’s young managers when I suggested they might like to put some information from Breast Cancer Now in both changing rooms during Breast Cancer Awareness Month last year. The astonishment that young members of the club could develop the disease and the comment ‘Men can’t really get it, can they?’ said it all. I endeavoured to put them right, but to no avail. The information never appeared. These were young people who clearly never checked themselves because they assumed they were too young.
They should read Kris Hallenger’s experience and take it to heart.
Kris Hallenger’s story leads to Coppafeel
For Kris Hallenger, being turned away 3 times by the GP when she was 23, meant her cancer had reached Stage 4 at diagnosis. Kris and her sister, Maren, founded Coppafeel which works tirelessly to spread the message at schools, workplaces and music festivals - indeed anywhere young people gather together – reminding them that no one is too young to develop breast cancer, how to check themselves and identify what normal feels like for each individual. Kris died in 2024, aged 38, leaving behind a hugely important charity.
Memories of remarkable young women
As I write this, the year is leading up to October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month – and, annually, so many of the young women I knew come back to my mind. None must be forgotten.
Ismena Clout, who was diagnosed at 29 and died ten years later. She wrote a Blog for HuffPost UK and posed with beautiful, floral tattoos in place of her lost breasts. She wrote extensively about the lack of focus on secondary breast cancer and gave evidence for the ‘Saatchi’ bill to permit doctors to use unconventional treatments when all else had failed. This eminently sensible Bill was opposed by the Lib Dems and also failed.
Ellie Jeffrey – whose cancer flipped from hormone receptive to triple negative – died three weeks before her wedding. Aged 29, this talented television reporter and director left behind her popular Blog “Written Off”. Her tagline, ‘Making the Big C smaller’, marked her experience of breast cancer and the need to alleviate the many difficulties – physical, emotional and financial – that accompany a cancer diagnosis. Ellie’s Friends, which encouraged gifts of anything from a basket of organic eggs to a free aromatherapy session at home – raised the spirits of someone for whom cancer had taken not just their quality of life, but their livelihood too. The organisation merged with Maggie’s but, sadly, the pandemic put an end to Ellie’s great idea. Perhaps someone would take up the reins and start it again?
Mair Wallroth was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with her second child and died when her son was 10 weeks old. She received excellent care and her husband, Pete, launched the charity ‘Mummy’s Star’ to ensure all families facing cancer during pregnancy would have access to the same level of care, understanding and reassurance.
‘It’s the first thing that occurs to you and the last thing that occurs to them’ (Alan Bennett)
These are just a few of the many, many women I knew fifteen years ago and who I admired enormously for the way they tackled their breast cancer journey. The long-term vision of Breast Cancer Now is that ‘By 2050, everyone diagnosed with breast cancer lives and is supported to live well.’ To help this ambition, self-advocacy is vital and GPs must listen to their patients.
As the great Alan Bennett wrote in his monologue ‘Nights in the Gardens of Spain’: ‘It’s the first thing that occurs to you and the last thing that occurs to them. By which time it’s too late.’