Hazel Brennan, from Athlone, Co Westmeath, was thrilled to get away on a short break with her husband, John, at the start of this year, but didn’t realise that, following the much anticipated weekend trip, her life would change forever – as the mother of two discovered an unusual “dent” in her breast that turned out to be cancer.
“John and I don’t get away often as we have no family around, but when my sister was over from England for Christmas and New Year, she said she would mind them for a few days so off we went,” she says. “I remember looking in the mirror in the hotel and noticing a short ‘trough’, for want of a better word, under my left nipple. I hadn’t noticed it before and wasn’t worried as I thought maybe I had just hurt myself, but I decided to get it checked out when we got home.
“So, the following week, I went to see my GP who examined me and said that she didn’t know what it was so she made an appointment for me at the breast clinic. A week later, I got a letter but the appointment wasn’t until March, so I rang my GP who said she would ring on my behalf and following that, I got an appointment for early February.”
When they headed to Galway for the appointment, the mother of two wasn’t panicking, and she and her husband had even brought trainers with them so they “could go for a walk on the prom in Salthill afterwards”.
RM Block
However, things didn’t go to plan as, following the ultrasound, she was informed that “something had been found” and a biopsy would need to be taken. She said the procedure was “really horrible”, but it was soon over and she was told to go home and wait to hear from the hospital regarding the next step.
“The week went by in a blur and then, on February 20th, we went back to the hospital. While we were waiting to be called, we should have copped that the news was bad as everyone else was seen before me, but even when I got into the room, I still wasn’t worried – I thought I might have dodged a bullet. But this wasn’t to be the case. I was told that I had two different types of cancer, both lobular and ductile, and because they couldn’t find where one started and the other finished, I would have to have a mastectomy of my left breast – this was non-negotiable. I was totally floored and in such shock.
“John’s mother was dealing with cancer at the time and his dad had only just passed away, so this was so much for us to take on. We were just devastated, and I think we both bawled crying for a while because we had no idea what was going to happen. The surgeon told us that the mastectomy was essential in order to save my life.”
The 50-year-old was told that although there was no choice to make about whether or not to have the mastectomy, she did have to decide whether to “remain flat or have a reconstruction”. Initially, she chose the former as she couldn’t face the prospect of having more surgery than necessary, but after speaking to the breast care nurse, she decided to have a partial reconstruction.
The surgery was a success, despite the “feeling of loss” after losing a breast and, following treatment, she is currently doing well.
“The operation went great and the doctors are very happy with me. I did get an infection or two afterwards, but they cleared quite quickly. I also had lymph nodes removed as there was some cancer in a couple of them but not enough to need radiation, which was great. So I’m doing well – some days I feel brilliant, like I could fly around the place without a bother and, other days, I’m floored, but I’m getting there.
“Although I do find it hard when people say stupid things like, ‘you’re looking great’, because all I can think of is that if they had to look in the mirror every morning and see what I see, they wouldn’t be saying that. Or telling me that their mother, daughter or friend has had cancer so they know how I feel. Unless they have been through it, they don’t know. I know they mean well, but it’s horrible.”
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the beauty therapist says she would encourage everyone to be aware of their bodies and visit their GP if any concerns at all. “If I had advice for anybody, it would be definitely to get to know your breasts. I wouldn’t have been a big checker myself beforehand, but it is so important. Also, if you’re tired all the time like I was, don’t just put it down to being a mammy, get it checked out. I was so exhausted that I didn’t even want to do anything for my 50th, which is so unlike me. Now looking back, I can see all the signs clearly, but at the time, I put it down to lots of other things, so I would advise others not to do that.
“Early detection is a huge thing and that is what saved me, so it’s really important to know what to look for and to go to your doctor if any worries at all.”
[ Living with cancer in Ireland: ‘We’ve moved from a one-size-fits-all treatment’Opens in new window ]
Brennan says that although it is still early days – her surgery was in March – she knows the importance of being positive and would advise others to try to do the same, even though it can be very difficult.
“On the outside, I’m healing up great, but internally, it does take its toll. You try your best every morning to get up, brush your hair, have a shower, put on a bit of make-up, and look like everything is normal on the outside, and I do that, mostly for the kids, because they don’t need o see that sometimes what’s on the inside isn’t great. But hopefully, through support from the Irish Cancer Society, as well as from my friends and family, I’ll get through it, even though it’s a constant worry. But, I’m only 50, and I do plan on staying around for a lot longer than this.”
Sarah Egan, cancer awareness nurse with the Irish Cancer Society, says it is important to be aware of the signs of breast cancer and seek advice if they have any concerns, because even though it may not be anything to worry about, it is better to be sure and if treatment is needed, the sooner it starts the better.
“Breast pain alone is not usually a symptom of breast cancer,” she says. “And while nine out of 10 breast changes won’t turn out to be breast cancer, it is important to go to your GP if you have any symptoms and get them checked out.”
Breast cancer
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Ireland
- About 3,600 women and three men are diagnosed with it each year.
- The majority of people diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of 50, but it can also be diagnosed in younger people.
- Most breast cancers are diagnosed at an earlier stage.
- Risk factors for breast cancer include, age, family history and dense breast tissue.
- Risks of breast cancer can be reduced by maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle, minimising alcohol consumption, being a healthy weight, not smoking, attending routine screening and by checking breasts regularly.
Symptoms include:
- A change in size or shape of your breast such as one breast becoming larger than the other.
- A change in the direction or shape of your nipple, especially if it sinks into your breast or becomes irregular in shape.
- A lump or thickening in your breast or armpit.
- Swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone.
- A breast abscess – (infected boil) this may appear as a red, tender area on your breast.
- A change in the skin on or around the nipple such as a rash or flaky or crusted skin
- An unusual discharge (liquid) from one or both of your nipples. The discharge may be blood stained or watery.
- A lump or thickening in your breast.
- A change in the skin such as puckering, ridges or dimpling (like orange peel) or redness.
- Constant pain in one part of your breast or armpit
- Soreness or warmth (inflammatory breast cancer)
- A red scaly rash on one nipple, which may itch or burn (Paget’s disease of the breast)
- Breast pain alone is rarely a symptom of breast cancer.
- This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Irish Cancer Society is looking for people to host a “Big Pink Breakfast”. cancer.ie/pink
