Lindsay O’Malley was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33 and had to start chemotherapy while she was pregnant. The mum is now 47 and she credits research for her survival
A woman who began experiencing some unusual symptoms said she put them down to the fact that she was seven months pregnant – but was then dealt a devastating blow when she received her diagnosis.
Lindsay O’Malley, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, assumed her left breast felt hard because she was pregnant. However, the woman, who was 33 at the time, was told she had an aggressive form of breast cancer which had already spread to her liver.
The diagnosis meant she needed to start treatment and was given staged chemotherapy at 30, 33 and 36 weeks of her pregnancy. Thankfully, her baby, Rebekah, was born safely and recently celebrated her 14th birthday.
Mum Lindsay was given more chemotherapy following the birth followed by surgery to remove her left breast and then radiotherapy. At the time of her diagnosis, husband James rallied to support Lindsay, their two-year-old son Joshua and new baby Rebekah, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Lindsay herself was adopted, and while she was recovering from the gruelling treatment, she requested genetic testing having found out that her birth mother had been treated for breast cancer. She tested positive for the faulty BRCA1 gene – and after urging her birth mum to consider genetic testing, she also tested positive.
Following her diagnosis, Lindsay chose to have a full hysterectomy which plunged her straight into the menopause in her 30s. The following year, she had preventative surgery to remove her right breast. Lindsay is now backing a Cancer Research UK campaign to help fund more big breakthroughs in research.
Thirty years ago this month, Cancer Research UK scientists were at the forefront of the discovery of the BRCA genes – helping to reveal that faults in these genes increase people’s risk of developing certain cancers including breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers. Around 70 per cent of women with faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes will develop breast cancer by the age of 80 – but 47-year-old Lindsay feels that “forewarned is forearmed”.
Three decades later, this incredible breakthrough is saving and improving the lives of people like her – now and in the future – by revolutionising how these cancers are prevented, diagnosed and treated, says the cancer charity. Lindsay said: “James and I were determined to remain positive throughout my pregnancy with Rebekah. I was incredibly fortunate to have such amazing support from my family, friends and the church community.
“At the time, the oncology team in Bolton hadn’t dealt with someone who was pregnant with cancer, so it was a scary time. But I was in safe hands and received excellent care every step of the way. If I had been pregnant with cancer 20 years earlier, then I wouldn’t have survived. But advances in research are fantastic. Thanks to Cancer Research UK so many preventative measures and targeted drugs are now available because of this landmark discovery.”
She added: “Knowledge is power and now I feel the children and I can look forward to a better and brighter future. Cancer Research UK has helped to change the course of my family’s cancer story, so I’m determined to help raise vital awareness and funds. We have been very open with our children about my cancer treatment and we will discuss the BRCA gene with them when they are older. I feel incredibly lucky to see them both growing up.”
