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Breast Cancer Survivor Story: Rose Keane

Pink bows

It’s the second most common cancer for women in this country, affecting approximately 3,000 of us annually. And while it’s more common in those over 50, statistics show that breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women aged 35-54 in Ireland.

I Never Thought It Could Happen to Me

Rose Keane from Clare was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2014, at the age of 41. “I remember lying in bed one morning and feeling a lump the size of a 50c coin in my breast,” she recalls. “Strangely enough, I wasn’t overly alarmed at the time. I’d read articles about breast cancer and knew the dangers, but I just never thought it would happen to me.” Ironically, Rose was fitter and healthier than she’d been for a long time. “I’d stopped smoking and drinking, and started running 10km twice a week,” she says. “I looked and felt better than I had in years.” She did, however, find herself feeling particularly tired. “I was working 20 or 30 hours a week in the local SuperValu and I used to come home completely drained.” She’d also lost weight but put it down to the fact that she was exercising regularly and eating healthily.

 
Woman running

A Complete Shock

Even though she wasn’t worried about the lump, Rose visited her GP to have it checked out. He encouraged her to make an appointment as soon as possible to attend the Breast Clinic in Limerick. “I found myself waiting to see the doctor along with 30 or 40 other women, all with the same issue,” says Rose. “Even then, I remained calm. I really didn’t believe I had cancer.” It came as a complete shock to her when - following a biopsy and mammogram on the same day - the doctor said he was 99% sure she had cancer (though it would take 10 days for the results to come back).

So Many Emotions

“It was like someone pulled a rug out from under me,” says Rose. “I burst into tears. I must have been in shock; I don’t even know how I drove home that day.” Although she told close family members, Rose says she initially didn’t want to talk about it. “I found it too painful, and I was going through so many different emotions,” she says. “At first, I was shocked, then angry. I started to think, why me?” Luckily, the cancer hadn’t spread. But she did need a lumpectomy, which would be followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The operation to remove the lump took place on December 23rd that year and she was released from hospital the next day.

Time for Treatment

Doctor with clipboard and stethoscope

Six rounds of chemotherapy treatment followed between January and May. “It was a precaution in case a cancer cell had escaped,” explains Rose. “While I knew it was necessary, I found it physically and emotionally demanding. I lost my hair, which was very hard.” Rose then underwent 33 rounds of radiotherapy, which ended in July. “It wasn’t easy, but I found it less hard than the chemo,” she says. Even after the treatment she had to take medication until December. “The whole ordeal lasted a year in total,” she says. “But at least now I’m cancer-free. I have a dent where the lump was removed but I didn’t lose my breast. In many ways, I was very lucky.” She adds that her body has now gone into early menopause as it was necessary to remove its oestrogen to prevent the cancer returning. She’s found this hard on both a physical and emotional level.

Getting Checked

“The whole ordeal took a lot out of me,” says Rose. “I still feel more tired than I used to, but I’m slowly getting back to normal. I would advise any woman reading this to get checked regularly for breast cancer and to check themselves – even if they’re under the age of 50.” Though a woman’s breasts do change over time, here are some signs to look out for:

•    A change in size or shape, like one breast becoming larger than the other
•    A change in skin texture, such as puckering or dimpling (like orange peel) or redness 
•    A change in the direction or shape of your nipple, especially if it is pulled in or flattened or becomes irregular in shape
•    An unusual discharge (liquid) from one or both of your nipples
•    A change on or around the nipple such as a rash or flaky or crusted skin
•    Swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
•    A lump or thickening in your breast
•    Constant pain in one part of your breast or armpit

If you come across any of these while checking your breasts, consult your GP immediately. “And if you do have cancer”, says Rose, “don’t be afraid to talk about it. The Irish Cancer Society provides a counselling service which helped me a lot. The best advice I was given is to take it one day at a time.”

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