‘My first thought was how I was going to tell my daughters?‘

Lisa Gibson, 55, is a widow who lives in Bramhall near Stockport. She works as a human resources consultant and has two daughters Emma, 29, and Kate, 26

‘In November 2005, I had for a routine mammogram that would change my life. Because ten days later I received a letter saying I’d been recalled. I hadn’t had any symptoms so I knew it didn’t necessarily mean I had a tumour, but my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in her seventies and that was playing at the back of my mind.

‘A month later, my late husband, Jack, accompanied me to the hospital appointment. Alarm bells rang when the radiographer spotted a spidery mark on the X-ray and sent me straight in for an ultrasound scan and a biopsy.

‘The time between having the tests and getting the results – three days before Christmas – was the worst time. All I could do was wait and worry.

‘When the doctor told me it was a cancerous tumour my first thought was, how I was going to tell my daughters?

I joked that I’d have to cancel Christmas dinner and I was half laughing. I had to make light of it to cope, but I’d had the diagnosis now and knew what needed to be done.’

Breaking the news
‘Jack and I decided we’d tell our daughters on Christmas Eve. Emma lived in Holland and was bringing her boyfriend with her to stay and Kate and her boyfriend were at home for Christmas., too If I’d tried to pretend everything was hunky-dory my girls would have known something was wrong. I sat them down and explained I had some news which wasn’t good, but wasn’t all negative either. They cried, obviously, but they took my lead and thought, if Mum is being positive we can be, too. They have both been so supportive to me.

‘The operation was on 15 January 2006. I was nervous as I didn’t know what the surgeon would find. I had a lumpectomy procedure, which is where only the breast lump is removed. The tumour was tiny – just 11mm in size – and lobular, which is difficult to detect. My consultant told me the radiologist had saved my life by spotting the cancer so early on. Some of my lymph nodes were removed, too, as the cancer had spread into one.

‘Jack and the girls were beside themselves during that time. I think it’s worse for the people who are watching because they feel so helpless.’

Keeping busy
‘After the operation I was given the choice about having chemotherapy.

I’d heard the horror stories about the side effects, but I was given some good advice by the chemotherapy nurse. She suggested to “look at chemo as my friend, taking away the chance of the cancer returning”. I wanted to make sure the cancer didn’t come back so I had eight sessions over a six-month period, one treatment every three weeks. I was fortunate because I was never sick and retained most of my hair by having the cold cap treatment where the scalp is cooled, restricting blood circulation to the hair follicles.

‘I worked through the chemo and that was my coping strategy. I had it on the Thursday and would go back to work the following Tuesday. I didn’t want to be seen as a victim so I tried to be as positive and normal as I could.’

Being positive
‘I feel lucky. I had so much support from the medical team and from Breakthrough Breast Cancer, which put me in touch with other women.

It also gave me enough information to have intelligent conversations with the doctors about my treatment. The support from my family helped, too.

My sister Mary would come to visit during my chemo and we’d watch Doris Day films to take my mind off it.

‘The experience has changed me. Now I don’t let things worry me as they used to. I was so house-proud and would turn down invitations if the garden needed weeding. Now I take up any chances I can.

‘Being diagnosed with cancer was a terrible blow but I had the attitude that I’m going to beat this and it’s not going to beat me. I still see the surgeon for check-ups, but in December I will have been free of cancer for four years.

‘Mammograms are available on the NHS for women aged 50 plus, and even if you’re diagnosed it’s not an automatic death sentence. It can be cured. But the longer it’s left the more difficult it can be. If I hadn’t had that mammogram I know it’s unlikely I would be here today.

‘Last year, Jack died unexpectedly of a heart attack, which knocked me back. But I’ve adopted the same attitude that got me through the cancer and I’m slowly getting back to my old self.’

You can make a difference to people affected by breast cancer today – and in the future – by supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s campaigns. For details, log onto www.breakthrough.org.uk/CAN

‘How on earth was I going to deal with having cancer?’
Nicolette Peel, 37, lives in Hadfield, Derbyshire with husband James and their children Joe, five, and Ella, four

‘I was in the shower when I felt a lump in my left breast. I left it for a few days as I knew hormone changes could cause lumps and I’d not long stopped breastfeeding. But I was concerned because my mum had had breast cancer twice. A couple of days later when the lump hadn’t gone, I went to vist my doctor with my husband, James.

‘At that time we’d been living in Spain for seven months where we’d set up a language school. James had to translate for me. The doctor was sure it was a cyst, as was I. An appointment to have more tests was scheduled. I was slightly nervous, but the GP had put such a positive spin on it all.’

Waiting game
‘On the day of the tests I had a mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. When the radiographer said the lump looked dodgy, I knew it wasn’t good. But I had to wait two weeks for the results, which was a killer. How on earth was I going to deal with having cancer? I’d seen my mum go through it and it had made her life so unhappy.

‘At the follow-up appointment, it was James who told me the lump was cancerous as he had to translate what the doctor said. James is a calm person but it was incredibly hard for him. He cried. He’d convinced himself the lump was a cyst.

‘I had the operation to remove the lump in Spain – it was a wide local excision, so I kept my breasts but had to spend six nights in hospital away from the children, which was terrible. When I came out I couldn’t pick them up or even cuddle them.’

Homeward bound
‘Now we had to decide what to do next – stay or go. James was desperate to stay but I hadn’t built up a support network yet. I wanted to go home. When I was told I needed chemo my decision was made. With a two- and three-year-old to look after, at that time, and James running the business I knew I would need help.

‘So, James stayed in Spain and the three of us returned to the town we’d left just a few months before. We had to rent because we had tenants in our home. James flew back at weekends – it was a tough time.

‘My mum would look after the kids while I had chemo. It was so hard for her watching her own child going through the same horror she had, but looking after the kids gave her a focus. Everyone rallied around to help out – meals were delivered, friends would have the kids and the nursery even found a place for my son Joe, so at least his life could be as normal as possible. The chemo made me feel sick all the time and I lost my hair, which was long and red. I had it all shaved off and it totally freaked Joe out. People at the nursery who didn’t know me would stare – I looked so ill.’

Battle on
‘Four months later, James returned to the UK after winding up the business and then had to find a job because we had no income.

‘The chemotherapy went on for seven months and I was having my treatments every three or four weeks. Then I had radiotherapy, which was like having very sore sunburn and made me incredibly tired. I was given Herceptin every three weeks for a year. Finally, all the treatment, apart from a daily dose of tamoxifen for five years, was over. I’ve not had a reoccurrence and it’s been two years. I am finally well again.

‘For me, it was the kids who saw me through it. You just don’t have time to feel sorry for yourself as everyday life goes on. You can’t think, Sod it, I’m not getting out of bed today, because your kids just won’t let you. I’ve come out a different person in many ways. What became clear was just how loved I am. I also became a fund-raiser for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and while I was having chemotherapy I raised £6,000 by putting together a Calendar Girls-style calendar and having a pink party. I wanted to do something fun, because everything was so crap. I was amazed by people’s kindness.

‘I feel lucky I’m alive. I have two beautiful children, a lovely husband, great friends and family. It’s prompted me to change my career from a school teacher to a paramedic. I didn’t know if I was emotionally strong enough before but now I know I’m much tougher than I had ever imagined.’

Why not sign up to Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s £1,000 Challenge and join the fight against breast cancer by fundraising to support the charity’s work. For more info, visit www.breakthrough.org.uk/challenge