How Were You Diagnosed?

When were you diagnosed with secondary breast cancer?

I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer on the 13th June 2022 in my brain following a seizure whilst out running. I had convulsions and fell into the road in front of a car, and somehow instantly knew what it was.

What type do you have?

I was diagnosed originally with primary breast cancer March 2020 - three days before the country went into lockdown so had chemo, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and a mastectomy all during Covid-19.

Did you have a primary diagnosis?

I was diagnosed originally with primary breast cancer March 2020 - three days before the country went into lockdown so had chemo, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and a mastectomy all during Covid-19.

What symptoms made you go to the doctor? 

I had 0 signs that anything was wrong apart from maybe a week before a flickering in my eyes which lasted a couple of seconds but I just thought that, as I was driving, it was the light from the sun coming through the trees.

What I wasn’t made aware of is that the treatment I had received for my primary cancer, which was already at stage three, was that it wouldn’t cross the blood/brain barrier - but also that a full body scan didn’t include my brain so it was never checked. 

When I came round from the seizure I said that I needed my brain scanned, once that was done they confirmed it was a growth and needed to see if it was actually cancer which it then was confirmed.

I have since had brain surgery to remove the tumour and I am now learning to live in this new way scan to scan. 

Instagram Tag: @iamkatiestevenson