Julie’s story – Breast cancer

Bradford mother of one, Julie Norman will be forever grateful to the NHS. During Covid-19 she was rapidly fast tracked by GP referral to diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer.
She’s telling her story because she’s aware that people stopped going to their doctors to check out worrying symptoms during lockdown.
“If I can help just one person get themselves checked out, it’s worthwhile. Cancer doesn’t discriminate and it doesn’t wait,” she added.
Julie a healthy 37-year-old occasionally remembered to check her breasts. On this occasion, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, she felt a lump while showering. She put off making a call to her GP until her young daughter, now six, was staying over at her Dad’s.
When Julie made the call, she was invited to her GP Surgery who asked her to come in unaccompanied for an examination.
She was referred to the Fast Track Breast Clinic at St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford, and was seen three days later. They did an initial examination, a mammogram and chatted to Julie about her family history.
She was called back for a biopsy where they confirmed the lump was cancerous. By the end of the month she had been admitted to The Yorkshire Clinic, Bingley, for a lumpectomy, where cancer patients were being treated in a covid-free environment.
Julie also had 20 sessions of radiotherapy at St James Hospital, Leeds during June and July. She will now have annual mammograms.
“I just feel extremely lucky,” said Julie.” The whole process was so fast because there was extra space due to Covid-19. Yes, I have a scar, but I see that as my war wound, it shows I am a survivor.”
Throughout diagnosis and treatment, Julie felt safe and calm about entering both the GP and hospital premises. She said everyone was efficient, masks and gowns were worn, patients and staff maintained their distance and she was escorted through buildings to the right department.
“It all felt quite normal except there were fewer chairs in the waiting rooms! Everything was just carrying on as usual,” she explained.