Breast Cancer in Young People

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 3rd November 2023 at the young age of 28. The journey from there has been traumatic and a bit of a blur but here I am telling my story. I want to raise awareness of breast cancer in young people and the importance of early detection, whilst raising money for two amazing charities that support this cause in the UK and Australia. The chosen charities are CoppaFeel! and So Brave.

Back in mid 2021, I was having a shower when I noticed a lump in my boob that wasn't usually there. It freaked me out, of course, and I monitored it for a couple of weeks before making my way to see a doctor. Just to make it clear, this next part is not about my diagnosis but it is about young people being made to feel that breast cancer is something they do not get…. When I got to the doctors I was told not to worry, they couldn't feel much but luckily they sent me for an ultrasound scan. I remember on my first scan a second nurse was bought in to look at the screen whilst they discussed what they saw. From there, I was told there was swelling in my lymph nodes but this was likely due to the covid vaccination and there wasn't much acknowledgement of the lump I could feel.

I walked away from my results feeling a mix of emotions. I was relieved as the doctors told me it looked like nothing but I still had that nagging worry - no way did I forget about this.

During the next couple of years, I visited the doctor on a number of occasions and had multiple ultrasound scans before the nurse at the clinic told me I didn't need to return. Luckily, I didn't listen to them. I continued to monitor and check my boobs in the shower on a monthly, if not weekly basis (obsession kicks in). I started to notice a change in my armpit and boob. There was a dull ache/pain in the hollow of my armpit and around the breast area, again I monitored this for a short while but deep down I knew that something wasn't right.

Returning to the doctors, I had a lovely GP who reviewed my file and told me it had been a while since my last scan and best to get it checked again- just to be safe. I went for another scan but this time it was different. The lump had grown and the edges had changed shape so they whisked me off for a biopsy. Collecting my results a number of days later, I was turned away from my first appointment by a rude GP telling me the results weren't in yet and to leave. Back to the doctors I went a couple of days later and was seen by a GP who I am very thankful for! She called the clinic who had taken my biopsy and got the results on the phone. I knew instantly that something was wrong, due to the look on her face, and from that moment everything changed.

'I'm very sorry but you have a carcinoma'

'A what?

'Breast cancer'.

I was on my own in the GPs at this point and had a bit of a melt down before my partner joined me at the doctors. I cried and he did the practical part of asking questions and sussing out what's next (whilst freaking out inside he tells me now).

All I could think about was my family in the UK and me in Australia. What on earth is happening? I'm 28, I'm young, I'm fit, I'm healthy. Everyone says young people don't get breast cancer.

The next couple of weeks were full of multiple appointments, scans, needles, biopsies, bloods, confusion, tears, distress, an overload of information, medical terms I didn't understand, the news that I will be put into an early menopause to protect my ovaries, the news that I may not be able to have children in the future if my ovaries don't turn back on after treatment, constant comforting facetimes with my family in the UK, cuddles on the sofa with Josh and ALOT OF TEQUILLA.

Luckily, my journey from diagnosis moved extremely quickly and I do believe the benefit here was my age and the fact that this shouldn't be happening! I was diagnosed on 3rd November 2023, I found out it was stage 1, grade 2 localised, triple positive breast cancer. Not long after, I met my surgeon on 7th November 2023, I had a lumpectomy on 17th November 2023 and from there I moved onto IVF/fertility preservation.

Fertility preservation has been the most important part of my journey. Being a 28 year young woman who has always dreamed of having babies and being told this may not be possible was heartbreaking. Thanks to modern-day science, I was able to collect and freeze my eggs which will enable me to have babies in the future should my ovaries decide not to work again.

I write this today, 29th February 2024, after my 6th chemotherapy session, the end of round 2. THE HALF WAY POINT! I am having weekly Paclitaxel for 12 weeks, 3 weekly Herceptin (Trastuzumab) and Zoladex which will continue for the remainder of the year. After chemotherapy has finished, I will have 3 weeks of radiotherapy and after the Herceptin has finished, I will have 5 years of anti-cancer/hormone blocker tablets… a fun journey ahead.

The thing that has saved me is persistence, early detection and a fantastic team of medical professionals. I hope this story inspires young people (male and female) to check their boobies, know your normal and check with your GP anything that isn't normal. Be persistent. If you are told not to worry, if you are told you're too young and if you are told that pain is a good thing as it isn't associated with cancer or anything else along these lines and it doesn't feel right to you - don't listen, BE PERSISTENT.

Young people are often pushed aside when it comes to breast cancer and told that they are too young to have this awful disease. However, this is simply not the case. Young people get breast cancer. There needs to be more education, awareness and screening for young people so that breast cancer is detected at the earliest possible stage to ensure the best possible outcomes. This is why we are choosing to support CoppaFeel! And So Brave.

CoppaFeel ! is a fantastic London based breast cancer awareness charity, based in London, focused on promoting early detection of breast cancer by encouraging people under 30 to regularly check their breasts.

So Brave is Australia's Young Women's Breast Cancer charity and it is the only organisation that in Australia that focuses on women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40. They place a huge focus on empowerment, education and research. Using their website and socials has really helped me through the beginning of my treatment.

Check your boobies regularly. Young people get breast cancer too. Early detection is key. Make a donation of any size, big or small and help raise awareness!

Thank you for reading my story!

Please not, all donations to this GoFundMe page are for 2 charities - this will help them in raising awareness, research and anything else to support with the running of the charities. The money will be withdrawn into my (Tilly Baldwin) personal account and shared between the two charities equally. I will give the money to So Brave and Coppa Feel via donations on their website or through their fundraising teams. Both charities have been notified of the fundraising page and activities that are taking place and that the money will be sent to them soon! I will post a photo of the donations made to the charities as an update on this page.