" My doctor sat me down to have the dreaded conversation and told me it ' s incurable and inoperable ."
The next day , my doctor checked my breast and recommended an appointment with a breast consultant . Although my doctor maintained a rigid poker face , I knew something wasn ' t right . A week later , my mammogram and ultrasound turned into numerous biopsies on both breasts . It was clear what sort of outcome I was facing .
After what felt like the longest waiting period , the diagnosis was confirmed , and surgery was planned . I had a bilateral lumpectomy and four lymph nodes removed , followed by twenty radiotherapy sessions over six weeks . At my final session , I was allowed to ring the " bell " that I had eyed so longingly whilst in the waiting room for each radiation therapy session . This bell , rung by many others before me , represents the end of one ' s treatment . When I rang that bell , I knew my therapy had ended , and I was free to go out and live my life cancer-free and forever !
During this time , life went back to normal for my family and me . I carried on working and continuing with writing my book . My two daughters moved out of home , and we decided to make another big relocation and move to Jersey from the UK . My plans for my future were to publish my book and then set about working with local Jersey farmers promoting their produce through my photography . I also planned to potentially begin working with local food businesses , helping them develop their brands , and teaching photography to local Jersey residents . Alongside Nikon , I discussed running food photography retreats to Jersey for people across the UK and the world . The universe had other plans for me .
According to my oncologist , lightning doesn ' t strike twice . Unless you are me , because in August 2021 , after a few months of pain and a rather large and angry lump that appeared on my manubrium ( the bone under my collar bone ), it was confirmed that I had secondary breast cancer . Not only was it in the place where I could feel the pain , but also in six other spots that I couldn ' t feel : my spine , ribs , two in my hip and one in my shoulder . The cancer was diagnosed as stage IV . My doctor sat me down to have the dreaded conversation and told me it ' s incurable and inoperable , but thankfully NOT terminal ! We had caught it just in time .
I was so confused . If it ' s breast cancer that isn ' t in my breast but my bones , surely then it ' s bone cancer ? I ' d never heard of secondary breast cancer and definitely had never been warned about it from previous oncologists or doctors . That ' s where my research into it began . Secondary breast cancer ( also known as metastatic ) is not the same as breast cancer recurrence . It ' s when breast cancer cells break away and travel via either the lymphatic system or the bloodstream and settle elsewhere , typically in the bones , brain , lungs , lymph nodes , liver or spinal cord ( but it can also affect other areas ). It is treated as breast cancer using hormone-sensitive medications . However , the treatment for secondary breast cancer is never-ending , so the relief of ringing that bell and knowing I ' m cancer-free is something that will just be a memory .
My life has been completely uprooted and spun around these last few months , and it has taken me quite some time to process . The hardest pill to swallow was that I had made all the changes I needed to and was praised by doctors and friends for being so healthy , so how did it all go wrong ? I then did the thing we ' ve all fallen victim to when something horrific happens . I looked back and questioned every little thing I had ever done that could warrant this awful thing happening to me . I questioned all the junk food I had ever eaten , every party I got horribly drunk at in my teens and twenties , and everything I had learnt , lived and written about following a healthy lifestyle at the start of my health journey . Was it all just a waste of my time ?
Statistically , the average survival rate of secondary breast cancer patients after their diagnosis is between 2-3 years . However , these numbers can be totally inaccurate and very much out-of-date . With the advances of new and improved medical and cancer treatments , patients are living longer , healthier , and more comfortable lives . I am determined to not be in that statistic .
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