"My family deserve to see me looking my best after seeing me at my worst."

Charmain’s Story

My cancer journey almost didn’t start, it’s only due to the experience and expertise of my breast surgeon who didn’t like what I was telling him. My mammogram was clear, my ultrasound was clear and I had no lump. One MRI and several biopsies later I was diagnosed with an IDC tumour measuring 38mm and an infected lymph node. This was all in the month after my husband had had a second heart attack.
I was given a choice but really it wasn’t really a choice - mastectomy or lumpectomy with over 25% of my boob to go. Because it was in a lymph node I had to have a CT scan. This was during the autumn lull in the pandemic but still everything took so long. My CT showed areas of concern on my liver and lungs, so back for a liver MRI and more detailed lung scan I went - yet more waiting. Both turned out to be benign but they are keeping a close eye on them with regular MRI and CT scans.

I chose mastectomy with ANC because I didn’t trust the idea of a lumpectomy and they said I wouldn’t need any other treatment- happyish days. What I did end up having was a 135mm tumour made up of two types of cancer and it was in 8 of my 15 lymph nodes too. Thank goodness I chose that mastectomy. My surgeon told me I’d be referred to Christie’s who would ‘throw the book at it’!

Fast forward to July 21st 2021 and I walked out of Christie’s feeling like they’d thrown me with the book. I’d had 22 weeks of chemotherapy, described by the oncologist as brutal, and 15 blasts of radiotherapy in two places. I’d needed a bone scan on a dodgy shoulder that cleared my shoulder but showed an area of concern on my skull which needed further investigation - it felt like every scan showed something else to cause me weeks of upset and worry. I’d had sepsis and was tachycardic but I was still standing and I walked to Maggie’s for the first meet up of the MOTR models.

My diagnosis and treatment all happened during the pandemic with most of my chemo during the last lockdown, because of this I couldn’t always drop in to Maggie’s but when I needed them for advice and support they were always there.

A cancer diagnosis is hard to come to terms with and it has an impact on everyone around you. For me seeing the impact on my husband and two gorgeous children has been harder than any treatment. It also shows you who your real friends are - those that bring you milk because you can’t get to the shop or ask how you are doing and really mean it or send flowers to cheer you up. I can’t wait to walk down the runway in a frock with hair and make up - my family deserve to see me looking my best after seeing me at my worst.