Breast cancer – it’s not just about the lumps and bumps
Former MP Paula Sherriff knows only too well that detecting breast cancer isn’t just about finding a lump.
As a women’s health campaigner, Paula, is aware that any changes that are unusual and persistent, should be reported to your GP.
So when she found a miniscule thickening on her left breast, she didn’t hesitate. She checked it out while in the shower and was there on her doctor’s doorstep as the surgery opened the next day.
Paula, who was Labour MP for Dewsbury from 2015 – 2019, is recalling the events that led to her breast cancer diagnosis in March three years ago.
Her cancer journey is quite unusual, coming at the start of the Covid pandemic as we went into various lockdowns, and from the perspective, she was a familiar face to so many who came across her during her treatment.
I don’t think you have anything to worry about….
Even though she didn’t think it could be serious, Paula presented herself immediately to the receptionist and asked for an emergency appointment.
“It’s such a lovely GP surgery and the receptionist asked what the problem was and then said they could see me straight away.
“My doctor said he couldn’t feel anything and there was nothing to see but would refer me to the breast clinic. As I left he said, ‘I don’t think you have anything to worry about’.”
Ten days later, travelling into her appointment at Pinderfields Hospital, Rishi Sunak the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, was delivering his budget speech and referred to the abolition of the so called ‘tampon tax’. He credited Paula as the instigator in getting the UK to abolish VAT on women’s period products.
The surgeon also recognised Paula as a former MP, and reassured her that he couldn’t see anything, she had no history of cancer in the family, and she had never smoked.
They performed a mammogram and then an ultrasound. When the sonographer asked Paula to stop chatting so she could concentrate, the realisation dawned that she had found something.
It’s not a cyst – we’re 90% sure it’s cancer
A monosyllabic radiologist performed a biopsy and Paula found the procedure painful. A breast cancer nurse told her they were 90% sure it was cancer.
She waited a week for the results and went in to find her cancer was Grade 2 lobular and ductal cancer, and to determine if the cancer was in more than one area, Paula would need an MRI.
At that point they were still offering to try and save Paula’s breast. She waited around three to four weeks for the procedure. There were four areas of concerns and each area had to have three biopsies. On the 11th biopsy the machine broke, and Paula waited for it to be repaired. The friend who had accompanied Paula, fainted at the sight of the needle.
The results showed that three area were cancerous but thankfully it hadn’t spread into the lymph nodes. A mastectomy was booked for five days later.
Back into hospital in the middle of lockdown
A friend took Paula to hospital on May 6 but wasn’t allowed in because of Covid restrictions. They walked around the grounds with Paula feeling increasing tense because of her fear of general anaesthetic.
Many of the wards had been mothballed and a jovial porter pushed Paula’s wheelchair what felt like miles to reach the theatre. With the operating team clad in protective gear, Paula was relieved to hear the soothing tones of her consultant Mr Sowdi as she was readied for her surgery.
“I woke up in recovery and my first question was ‘Has it gone?’. I had to stay in overnight, but I was euphoric, hopefully the cancer was gone.”
As Paula lived on her own, she had arranged for her niece to collect her and take her to Scotch Corner where they would meet up with Paula’s sister, who would drive them to their parents’ home in Cumbria where she would recuperate.
Being the pandemic, the family had to follow rules governing journeys and gatherings, with her family getting Police permission to make the journey.
Ironically, Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s ex-adviser was to be embroiled in a scandal about driving to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight around the same time that Paula and her family were trundling up the A1.
Unfortunately, Paula’s recovery took longer than she had hoped as she developed a swelling called a seroma, where fluid collects where tissue was removed.
Pandemic or not – Paula was determined to ring the cancer bell
Paula was not required to have chemotherapy but needed five intense doses of radiotherapy delivered at St James Hospital, Leeds.
“I breezed through it. The staff were phenomenal. They instinctively knew what you needed. They respected your dignity, and it was a positive experience” Paula recalls.
Traditionally, patients finishing treatment would ring the bell at St James, but it had been mothballed for Covid. Determined not to miss out, Paula took her own bell with her!
“I rang the bell and people clapped. There was collective joy and it felt good” she said.
Paula will now take the hormone therapy tamoxifen for the next 10 years to help lower the chances of the cancer returning or developing in the other breast. Paula finds the side effects which include itchy dry skin, headaches and extreme fatigue to be debilitating and feels side effects are often downplayed when prescribed.
Paula looks forward to reconstruction of her breast even though it could include up to five more operations.
Paula is keen to support the Cancer SMART message – be aware of persistent and unusual changes to your body.
“If I had just been looking for a lump, my cancer would never have been found,” she added.