Sue Orton was first diagnosed with the disease when she was approaching 50 and went along for regular screening, which found the cancer at an early stage and before she had noticed anything herself.
She had surgery – a lumpectomy – and medication and afterwards returned for annual screening to make sure she was clear.
That lasted for five years, after which she reverted to the regular screening for women of her age of every two years.
Last August, cancer was found again.
‘It’s two different types of cancer that I’ve had on two different sides, so they’ve required different treatment, but this time it’s been far more aggressive,’ she said.
‘Hence the more aggressive treatment. I had surgery three weeks ago – a lumpectomy again – and intensive chemotherapy. Now I’m waiting for radiotherapy in Southampton.’
The surgery was described as a ‘breast-saving procedure’ meaning that she did not have a mastectomy.
‘They didn’t need to go that far,’ said Mrs Orton.
‘It was six months of chemo so it was very tough. But I used the cold cap, so I kept my hair, which was amazing.’
Being a sea swimmer helped her tolerate the cold.
‘One day when I was feeling very hot from some of the drugs they were giving me, I actually ate an ice cream with the cold cap on.’
She is telling her story as her son George prepares to run this weekend’s London Marathon.
He had already entered when he heard his mum had been diagnosed with breast cancer again and so decided to use the opportunity to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Now charity.
‘They do a lot of drug trials and they have online people that you can talk to if you want it and they’ve got a lot of online literature that you can look at,’ said Mrs Orton.
The charity’s goal is to make sure that by 2050 everyone diagnosed with breast cancer lives.
She was ‘proud but quite surprised’ when George announced he was doing the marathon.
‘He’s not a runner and he’s got bad knees,’ she said.
With two cases of the cancer caught by screening, Mrs Orton said all women should take up the invitation when they get it.
She had heard reports that there were a number who had not turned up for appointments at the screening clinics.
‘My message is don’t delay. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, because I didn’t both times.
‘And the fact that you’ve had it once doesn’t mean to say you can’t get it twice.’
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