When were you diagnosed?

June 2017.

What were your symptoms?

I had a collection of symptoms which I ignored and assumed would go away. Because I was pregnant/had baby/breast fed everything I was experiencing could have been caused by that. I had a lump, my breast was swollen and hot, my skin started to look a bit like the texture of orange peel, my armpit was bulging. It was only when my nipple started to invert and the pain was unbearable I went to my GP. Within a month I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

What treatments did you have?

6 rounds of Chemotherapy. 16 Radiotherapy sessions. Skin sparring mastectomy, lymph node removal.

How did you know it had spread?

A few months after my surgery at a consultant appointment I mentioned I had pain in my hips keeping me awake at night. A week later I had a bone scan a week after that I was told that it had spread to my bones. It was inactive which was a good sign but incurable. My primary cancer site was in my breast, it had spread to my lymph nodes. Unbeknown to us a few rouge cells escaped and set up home in my lower back area. Thankfully all my treatments had put it to sleep.

Why are you menopausal?