Jess's story

We're sharing stories from some of our wonderful members of the community who have a diagnosis of Triple Negative. Jess shares her story.

"Hi, I'm Jess. In lockdown 2020, not long after my 30th birthday, I'd been having shooting pains in my left breast. I ignored it and assumed it was hormonal. One afternoon my youngest daughter jumped onto my chest which was really painful, and as I grabbed my chest I felt a pea sized lump. I wasn't sure if it was a lump or if I was just imagining it, and my partner was unsure too, but urged me to get checked anyway. The GP surgery advised me to wait until my next period had passed and to call back if I could still feel it which I did. I saw a nurse who referred me to the breast clinic on the advice that is felt like a cyst and that it was very smooth and palpable.

"At the breast clinic it was confirmed to be breast cancer. I underwent chemotherapy, surgery (lumpectomy and node clearance) and radiotherapy. I'd had a full pathological response to the chemotherapy and I was in remission.

"In September 2022 I had the same pains and had an ultrasound which was clear. By November, a lump had formed on the scar of the lumpectomy and I was seen again in the breast clinic where it was confirmed that the cancer had reoccurred but all the scans confirmed that it was refined to just the breast. I had a mastectomy in December followed by eight cycles of oral chemotherapy which ended August 2023.

September 2023 I started to have a lot of pain on my chest wall which was waking me up at night. I was seen at the breast clinic on 1 October where the painful and slightly raised area was scanned. The imagery looked like normal scar tissue build up but the radiologist took some biopsies just in case given my history. The biopsies confirmed that the cancer had again reoccurred. I had full body CT scan and bone scans which showed no spread of the cancer and had surgery to remove the new tumour.

"The surgeon came to see me afterwards but unfortunately had the news that the tumour was embedded into the rib bone below and he had taken some of the bone to test. It came back as cancer, and at this point I was told that I had stage 4 metastatic cancer and referred to oncology.

"The oncologist wanted a PET scan which could only be done six weeks from surgery before starting treatment. But in this time I developed a cough and pain when breathing as well as breathlessness. I was given x-rays and a CT scan which confirmed the cancer was now in my spine and lungs and after a brief stay in hospital to drain fluid on my lung, I began chemotherapy again which I am tolerating well and I am awaiting my first lot of scans to see if it is working. 

"Make 2nds Count has offered me information and empowerment to self advocate, to be informed and do all of the things I want to do. From speaking to other people and having the support of the charity, it has shown me that I can still live and there is still hope to be here as long as I can be."

Thank you Jess for sharing your story. If you would like to share yours, please drop us a dm or email our comms manager: clare.cox@make2ndscount.co.uk