What happened
I was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. Secondary cancer was found in my lymphatic glands under my arm but the medical team couldn’t find the primary cancer in my breast – all tests came back negative.
Following doctors’ advice, I decided to have my breast removed. Cancer was subsequently discovered in the left breast after the mastectomy. The doctors believed that the tissue was so dense that the cancer couldn’t be readily detected. As a precaution, in December 2008, I had a further operation to have my right breast removed as well.
I started a course of chemotherapy. I knew I could lose my hair. The reality of that was more traumatic than losing my breast. My hairdresser suggested having my head shaved as soon as I noticed my hair falling out.
I had my head shaved and a wig fitted. When I tried to pay my hairdresser, he would not accept my cash. It was only then that I became emotional. I just desperately wanted life to be normal. I didn’t want to be seen as an ill person, a victim.
I found the Big C Centre through my breast care nurse. It’s such a welcoming place; the staff and volunteers are so friendly. They told me about the scarf tying sessions. That was a turning point for me. It was a very important moment during my time of treatment. I suddenly had something that made me feel more comfortable, more me, more normal.
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