Sian's Story

In August 2001 I found the lump after doing a breast exam. How on earth could I have breast cancer? I was only 31, there was no family history and I had 2 young children. My breast surgeon said there was no way he could save my breast because of the size of the tumour and the DCIS that was throughout the breast. He told me I should see a plastic surgeon to talk about breast reconstruction.

While waiting for surgery I had some tests to see if the cancer had spread. Everything was fine apart from the chest X-ray. I had a CT scan that showed a strange lump in my lung but needed to have a biopsy done to see exactly what it was.

Breast cancer is devastating enough but when the lung biopsy came back positive for cancer my whole world disintegrated. I saw an oncologist and was told that chemo would only buy me time - there was no cure.

For a couple of weeks I couldn't sleep or get out of bed in the morning. Every household chore seemed pointless. My husband had to take the strain of looking after the children and of doing all our cooking and cleaning. I vividly remember trying to hang out the washing and sobbing uncontrollably as I pegged out the children's clothes. I wasn't going to be around to see my gorgeous children grow up, see them get married and have children of their own.

A friend told me about a nutritionist who treated cancer patients with diet and supplements. The day before my first chemo I had my first meeting with him. My diet was to change dramatically - no dairy, no red meat, no sugar, no alcohol, lots of organic fruit and veges and lots of supplements.

My first chemo was difficult as I was sick 4 times that night but within a few days I felt better than I had in years. The diet was making me feel incredibly healthy. My next chemo was reduced slightly and every chemo after that was fine. Chemo was tiring but the worst aspect was losing my hair. When it started to fall out I got my husband to shave it off. It felt great to take control again.

Then in February last year they decided to do a mastectomy and remove the lung lump. I was actually relieved to have the breast gone because it was so diseased. After surgery I went off to my breast surgeon to hear the pathology report. This part of my story is an absolute miracle. The breast lump had dissolved with the chemo and there was no lymph node involvement but most miraculous of all was that the lung lump wasn't a breast metastasis at all but was an unrelated lung cancer primary. (I don't smoke, by the way!) My cancer was now considered curable! Unfortunately I needed more surgery to remove half of my left lung.

In October 2002 I had my breast reconstruction using my tummy tissue. It was great to have a cleavage again. I still need more surgery to have a nipple made and then have the part round the nipple tattooed on and then that will be the end of it.

I'd love to hear from any other young women out there to share experiences of breast cancer. Email me at youngbreastcancer@hotmail.com

Sian's Story

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