With the average age for women to be diagnosed with breast cancer is late forties, one woman revealed she was diagnosed with the disease in her twenties and was left feeling ‘alone’
After noticing a small lump in her breast, Lily Ward was constantly told for over a year it was ‘nothing to worry about’.
However she was then told she had stage three triple negative breast cancer at 27, and underwent a double mastectomy, double nipple removal and lymph node removal in her left armpit.
Now 28, Lily has shared how the devastating diagnosis made her feel ‘completely heartbroken’, and how the blueberry-sized lump in her breast grew, and turned her whole world upside down.
The average age for breast cancer in the UK is 62, but Lily along with many other young women are proving this statistic is seriously outdated. Lily said she was asking herself what she had done to get this type of cancer at such a young age and said she felt “so alone” during the difficult time.
“I was laying on the sofa watching tv on a Sunday evening with my partner and had an itch on my breast which is when I felt the lump which was about the size of a blueberry,” Lily told the Mirror, and claimed she was misdiagnosed for over a year after “many trips to the hospital”.
When she was given the heartbreaking an life-changing diagnosis, Lily recalled: “I was in total shock, after being told for so long the lump was nothing to worry about to then be told it was cancer was heart breaking. I felt completely broken.
“So many thoughts then went through my mind, why me? What have I done so wrong in life to get this at such a young age? Will I be beat this? How do I tell my family and friends this awful news?” She then shared how she had to then get further tests and added: “I had to go for further tests to see if it had spread which were a lymph node biopsy, mammogram on my other breast and biopsy, a CT scan, two MRI scan and multiple blood tests.
“After the results from all the tests came back I was diagnosed with left grade 3 triple negative breast cancer plus axillary and internal mammary lymph nodes. I also have the BRCA 2 mutated gene.”
The gruelling treatment Lily then had to face was eight cycles of chemotherapy with immunotherapy, a double mastectomy with double nipple removal and lymph node in her left armpit, radiotherapy and olaparib for one year (a targeted tablet due to the BRCA mutated gene). However, she candidly shared how she initially wanted to hide away after her diagnosis and keep it a secret.
“To start off with I just wanted to hide away, I didn’t want anyone to know I had cancer. Then I decided to make my Instagram page, mainly so I could keep my family and friends updated on what was happening through my treatment as sending multiple text messages was mentally draining.”
She then decided to share her cancer journey publicly, so she could help others who may be the same age. “I felt so alone going through this at such a young age that I thought if I could help anyone similar age to me not to feel alone via my page then that would be amazing, so I changed my page to public.”
Lily said she wanted to help share her own experiences and first hand accounts as well as the real emotions and products that “helped me through my treatments” as well as using her page as a monthly reminder for her followers to check their chests. “I also use it to help fundraise for charities that have helped me and others.
“It’s also like my diary and therapy helping me process everything that has happened through out this cancer journey. I’ve met some amazing people by doing this.”
To keep up with Lily’s cancer journey, follow her on Instagram, @lilys_cancer_journey_
Do you have a story to share? Email niamh.kirk@reachplc.com
