One bartender was shocked to learn that what she thought was a pimple on her chest was actually a rapidly growing cancerous tumor.
Siobhan Harrison, 24, of New Tredegar, South Wales, had tried to pop a lump in December 2020 after she noticed it while she was getting dressed.
It was bruised and swollen and Maria Made a doctor’s appointment. He was then sent for further testing and was told there was a nine-month waiting list.
Doctors said they didn’t know what the lump was but thought it might be cancer, so he paid £200 for a special ultrasound scan, so he advised Siobhan to take a biopsy.
She had a biopsy on the NHS on 22 June 2021 as it was considered a high priority with potential cancer at the time and was shocked to learn she had stage 2 triple negative breast cancer.
The 24-year-old actress had a lumpectomy to remove her left breast cancer in July 2021, followed by 12 rounds of chemotherapy starting in August 2021 and radiation therapy earlier this year and cleared everything up this spring.
Siobhan Harrison, 23, of New Tredegar, South Wales, noticed a lump on her chest that she thought was a blemish and tried to burst, but it became bruised and enlarged.
She was tested after a special ultrasound and was diagnosed with stage 2 triple negative breast cancer in July 2021. In the picture, during the treatment
Siobhan wore a wig after losing her hair during chemotherapy. He described the treatment as “debilitating”
Before starting chemotherapy and after a lumpectomy in July 2021, Siobhan had to collect eggs before starting chemotherapy as she was told it could affect her fertility.
He said: ‘I am very sorry. It grew rapidly and the size of the tuft was now over 2 cm. The doctors took me into surgery the next week, everything went so fast.
Siobhan explained: “As I was recovering from surgery, my counselor told me that my next step would be chemotherapy, but that it was likely to affect my fertility.
“So before I started treatment, I had to collect the eggs in case they were infertile after chemotherapy.”
He started 12 cycles of chemotherapy in August 2021, which he described as grueling: “It was very difficult for me. I started losing my hair after the first round and the treatment completely destroyed me. I was very bad
The 24-year-old explained that he was exposed to chemotherapy more often, but at lower doses.
She had a high risk of cancer recurrence after lumpectomy, so she received chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
“Even though I knew I was going to lose my hair, I didn’t expect it to affect me this much, so I bought a wig to feel a little better.
“My doctor decided to tweak my treatment a little so that I could have lower doses of chemotherapy more often, and that helped me a lot.”
Then Siobhan took two weeks of radiation therapy. Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy were preventative measures after surgery as there is a high risk of the cancer coming back.
He said: ‘The treatment did its job and I was fully released in the spring of this year. Since then, I’ve had a test where my blood is screened for cancer cells every few weeks. So far everything is clear again.
Siobhan was completely cancer-free this spring and has been trying to screen for cancer cells in her blood ever since. Clearly saved everything so far
“While it may be difficult, I am so grateful to be on the other side of therapy now and will focus on improving my fitness when I return to work in March.
“All the NHS staff who treated me have been very supportive and helpful and I am very grateful to them as well.”
Siobhan, now a cancer survivor, said: “I never thought I was at risk for cancer, especially at this age.
“I want to break the news that young women should check for lumps in their breasts and tell their doctor if there is any change, because it can be lifesaving.
The 24-year-old wants to raise awareness and encourage other young women to check for breast lumps.
“I now feel very lucky to be free of cancer.”
“When I got the results, I almost expected it to be a cyst or something benign. While it worried me, I didn’t expect it to be this bad.
The 24-year-old will be screened annually to make sure the cancer doesn’t recur and she wants to raise awareness of breast cancer in young women.
“I never thought I would be diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, it was a huge shock to me and my family.
“I want to encourage young women to check their breasts regularly because you don’t really know what could happen.
“I’m unfortunate that I have cancer, but in a way, I’m also lucky that my fist is clearly visible and I can quickly get a private scan. I’m afraid to think about what might have happened had it not been noticed.
“I was scared last week when I thought I had found another lump and went to have it checked. Fortunately it was nothing to worry about, but it made me realize that fear will always be with me.
“If I can encourage others to look for the lumps, I’ve achieved my goal. I just don’t want others to go through what I went through”.
Siobhan said she “never thought” that she would be diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, and that her diagnosis came as a shock to her and her family.
She was shocked when she thought she had found another lump last week and went to have it checked out, but luckily it was nothing to worry about.
Nikki Barraclough, executive director of Breast Cancer Prevention, said the pandemic has not only caused delays in breast cancer diagnosis, but has also impacted research.
He said: “More than ever, we must continue to fund breast cancer prevention research so we can stop this disease before it starts, by continuing to raise awareness about its signs and symptoms.
“It is this kind of awareness that has saved Siobhan’s life.”
And a spokesperson for the Teenage Cancer Trust warned of the devastating effects of the disease on teens.
She said it’s important for young women to be aware of their bodies and abnormalities because people don’t know what they might be.
He said: “Cancer is much less likely to affect young people than older adults, but when it does it can have a devastating effect, so spotting potential warning signs that could lead to early detection can really make a difference.
“There is little awareness of the most common warning signs of cancer in the 18-24 age group, and this may be one of the reasons why younger people take longer to be diagnosed with cancer than older people. But because cancer is rare in younger age groups, family doctors and other healthcare professionals may also be less likely to suspect cancer and refer young people with symptoms for further investigation.
“Listen to your body and see a doctor if you think something is wrong. It’s probably not cancer, but it’s always best to get it checked out, so make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns. If you feel like you’re not getting the answers you need, keep coming back because if a patient has persistent concerns, their healthcare professional needs to listen and take them seriously.
For more information on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and how to watch for them, visit www.preventbreastcancer.org.uk.
Source: Daily Mail
