I was young so cancer wasn't on my radar
Just by chance, Stacey came across a lump in her armpit. After months of putting it off, she had it checked out and got the news she had pri...
Jessica understands more than ever the importance of checking your breasts
After finding a lump by chance, Jessica realised ‘more than ever how important it is to check your breasts regularly.’
Getting breast cancer at 26 has turned my life upside down
When Tabby found a lump in her breast, she immediately feared the worst. Since starting treatment, she feels positive about the future.
I developed PTSD following my breast cancer diagnosis
After being diagnosed with breast cancer at 27 and encountering difficulties during treatment, Melissa was constantly worried. It wasn’t unt...
When I had a recurrence, I was forced to face my greatest fear
Lucy was just 28 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She faced a recurrence only 3 years later. She’s now taking part in a clin...
I'm sharing my story to remind others to make their health a priority
Meera is 33 years old and having treatment for breast cancer. She has been documenting her story in the hope of reaching other young people ...
When I found out I had breast cancer, all I could think about was my little girl
Maxine was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 at the age of 32. Her first thought was for her daughter, who had just turned two.
I was the youngest person on my chemotherapy ward
Hattie was 27 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She coped by finding the positives in her situation, including having her name on a...
I want to help women feel supported during their breast cancer treatment
When Oa was going through chemotherapy and other treatments for breast cancer, her friends and family were there to support her. Now, she's ...
Getting breast cancer led me back into writing and onto a new career path
Jo discovered she had breast cancer and was a carrier of an altered BRCA2 gene. She had always enjoyed writing but after diagnosis she turne...
I can’t change what I’ve been through, so I’m embracing it instead
Shevelle was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 28 after finding a lump in her breast. The mum-of-one took part in I...
Going through breast cancer at 24 during COVID was a complicated time
When Lynsey found a lump on her breast, she thought it was just a cyst. She still went to the GP, but her treatment wasn’t as straightforwar...
My world came crashing down when I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at 25
Fran was diagnosed with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer this year. She shares why she wants to raise awareness of cancer in younger peo...
The day I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer
14 months after she finished her treatment, Sarah Pickles looks back on the day she found out she had triple negative breast cancer.
I had a double mastectomy on my 27th birthday
Almost 20 years after she lost her mother to breast cancer, Nicola Downey found out she had inherited an altered BRCA1 gene, which increases...
Losing my hair and my breast at 24 made me feel so alien
When Sacha was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, she felt isolated. Through social media, she was able to find support – and now hopes...
7 years on: what I wish I had known during treatment
Liz was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28. Seven years later, she shares the things she wish she knew when going through treatment.
Being around other young women was priceless
After getting diagnosed at 32, Rachel was in shock and felt isolated. She found our support group, Younger Women Together, and it showed her...
Because I was young, my breast cancer symptoms weren’t taken seriously
Adobea first went to her GP with a lump in 2016, but wasn’t diagnosed with breast cancer until it has already spread. She tells us how cance...
Connecting with people my age gave me hope
Charlie was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. She took part in our course for younger women with breast cancer and co-created a...
I hope my mum’s story will encourage others to have genetic testing
After her mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, Jess discovered she had the BRCA1 gene. She’s set up the Jo Fine campaign in memory of her m...
Even though people offered support, it was hard not to feel alone
Kate had a 3-year-old boy and another little 1 on the way when she found out she had breast cancer. Here’s how our Someone Like Me service h...
Our wedding was perfect, then my world came crashing down
The sound of wedding bells had barely stopped ringing in Charlotte’s ears when she received the shocking news of her breast cancer diagnosis...
It’s been difficult for us all, but we still talk about their mum every day
Martim’s wife, Celina, passed away in 2020, just one year after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. Suddenly a single dad to four ...
People with breast cancer need support – but what about their partners?
Chris’ wife, Miriam, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. When she began supporting others after her treatment, Chris realised that he ...
One of the hardest things about going through breast cancer was not being able to be the mum I wanted to be
Jade was only 27 the first time she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and treatment meant she couldn’t care for her young son. When she face...
Natalie on dating after a mastectomy
Since her mastectomy, Natalie has faced challenges in her dating life which have affected her confidence. She shares her experience, her tho...
It is heart-breaking to sit your children down and tell them you’re going to die
Anita’s husband has been living with a life-limiting illness for a long time, which meant it was especially devastating for her to learn she...
I know I have an altered BRCA2 gene, but I need time to consider my options
After losing her mum to ovarian cancer, Naomi discovered she had inherited an altered BRCA2 gene which increases her risk of breast and ovar...
My wife was given 6 months to live the same month we found out our daughter was pregnant
Shirley was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2016, but sadly passed away in 2020. Her husband, Bob, tells us about how one of her l...
After my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, I needed to know whether I also had the altered BRCA2 gene
Skylar was only 12 when her mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the news had a huge impact on her life. Later on, she began to questio...
My friends stopped talking to me after I was diagnosed
Leanne’s social circle diminished when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She shares her experience and why her support network is strong...
4 members of my family have the altered BRCA2 gene
After Katie’s mum and half-sister were diagnosed with breast cancer, she and her sister discovered they all had the altered BRCA2 gene.
I realised how much I wanted a family when I was diagnosed
Rachael’s first thought when she was diagnosed was ‘Can I still have children?’ She talks about fertility treatment and how she had her son,...
I feel guilty for having a baby when I have a faulty BRCA gene
Aimi’s mother and grandmother both died by the age of 36 from breast and ovarian cancers. Aimi tells us what it’s like to have inherited the...
The only menopausal mum at the school gate
Ann Coxon was diagnosed with breast cancer in autumn 2014, the year before her young daughter was going to start school.
My relationship with my wife grew stronger after her diagnosis
Steve and his wife Melanie had only been married for four months when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This is how they coped.
Talking to children about death or cancer can be difficult, so I wrote books to help them understand
Elke was diagnosed with breast cancer three years after her husband died. In both instances, she worked hard to be honest with her children ...
Mum’s breast cancer diagnosis changed our whole family dynamic
Sally Taylorson-Lavers was 27 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She gives 10 tips for coping when a parent has cancer.
My partner stopped paying me attention after my diagnosis
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Darlaine struggled to feel comfortable with her body and dating. She shares why it is so important...
As a widow, my first thoughts when I was diagnosed were for my children
Last year, Francesca was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had lost her husband five years before and struggled with handling treatment duri...
Opting for a double mastectomy was one of the hardest decisions of my life
After finding she carried the altered BRCA1 gene, Chantal made the decision to have a double mastectomy. She tells us why she feels it was r...
2 steps to creating natural-looking eyebrows after chemotherapy
Make-up artist Melanie Daly shares some tips and products for recreating the look of natural eyebrows after chemotherapy.
'I hated PE at school': three women on how they got active after breast cancer
Three women share how they took up exercise after being diagnosed with breast cancer, and the difference it has made to them.
'Probably benign' – How I almost didn’t get diagnosed with breast cancer
After her first mammogram, Laura was told her lump was given a category of bi-RADS 3, and that it was 'probably benign', but being breast aw...
I had to learn to be my own advocate when I had breast cancer
Verite was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, but still has side effects of treatment today. She explains here the importance of speaking...
My tips for managing the festive season with breast cancer
As Lauren approaches her first Christmas after treatment, she explains why it’s important to be kind to yourself and shares her top self-car...
‘You’ll feel so alone’: a letter to myself a year after my diagnosis
In November 2019, Laura found out she had breast cancer. This is the letter she wrote to herself exactly a year after her diagnosis.
After treatment, you just want to draw a line under it and move on – but that’s not always possible
Joanne is currently in treatment after receiving a second breast cancer diagnosis. She reflects on the resources she found helpful after her...
I struggled with deciding which reconstruction option was best for me
When Sara-Jane was told she needed a mastectomy, she worried a lot about her options. She used our Someone Like Me service to help her come ...