Though I have read your story before, I will always make time to revisit it💗 You’ve always been a dedicated ambassador of awareness, so to be recognised as an official Ambassador for Cancer Support is AMAZING. I am one of those very followers that you inspired to get checked (& keep checking!) after finding a lump. Thankfully I only had to have a benign Complex Fibroadenoma removed but that scar & your story endure. Above all, your life-affirming outlook & honesty continue to be awe inspiring. JOIE DE VIVRE indeed💚!
I’m so glad that your lump was so quickly sorted out! Thanks so much Sophie, so lovely to see you on here and so glad that you are doing well. Have a lovely weekend and thank you for reading, lots of love xx
This was 1st July 1997, the day we gave back Hong Kong and I lost a boob! I was 44 with a young family just like you Lisa and with three dodgy lymph nodes on the wrong side of the cancer track I had a scary time ahead. But here I am now at 73 despite my prognosis being very poor back then. Luck and a bit of systematic homework on what was happening in the breast cancer treatment arena has got me through. When I finished the typical 5 years of Tamoxifen I discovered that drugs called aromatase inhibitors had been used very successfully in a clinical trial on patients with the same kind of breast cancer as mine. I asked my oncologist whether I could take these and the answer was a resounding yes. So I suppose my advice would be keep an eye out for any good news on the medical front and don’t be shy about asking if it would be good for you!
Love your Substack Lisa, we are both great fans of The Parisian Agency can’t wait for sixth series!!
This is so interesting! I take nothing now after the five years of tamoxifen I didn’t know about those inhibitors I’m going to google. And since I hit 50 they only scan me once every three years 🙄 I am on the ball with it though and am straight to the doctor if I think anything is off! So glad you are well and going strong! It’s a rubbish situation to be in but it’s possible to get through it 💪🏻
I live in Italy so have always been followed up with ultrasound and mammograms every year. Also blood tests which track breast cancer markers. If I was still in the U.K. my birthday present of choice would be a yearly private check up!
Thank you for writing this. I'm 10 months on from my own breast cancer diagnosis, deep into a chemical menopause and still struggling everyday with the massive health anxiety it's brought on. I, too, am so unbelievably grateful to have had it caught early enough to treat (including it being in 1 lymph node) but it really knocked me sideways even so. I've really struggled to read anything related to cancer in the last year but I'm starting to seek out positive outcome stories and find them immensely reassuring so thank you for being one of those <3
I’m so glad this was helpful for you and I hope you’re doing well - it’s a long slog but eventually you come out of it and things start to get back to normal. The health anxiety, I found, lessened and I really just starting feeling happy I was still here! I still feel that although I do have mass dramas every time I have a twinge 🙄 but it gets better! Thanks so much for reading and sending love 💕
So well written and so true. I can identify with so much of this - after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 - even down to getting my husband to shave off my hair ‘with the dog clippers’ once it started falling out! I had chemo followed by radiotherapy and all through the staff were so incredible and I will never stop being grateful for the treatment I received. You are right that the worry after doesn’t ever really go away but I do appreciate all the life I’ve had since my diagnosis. It is important we keep talking about cancer and keep doing all we can to improve treatments and outcomes for all cancers. ❤️
I so agree. It’s hard to express how much gratitude I feel to the medical teams for the fact I am still here. And nothing ever phases me now! I am rarely stressed in fact ha! I agree, so important to keep talking about it and raising research funds so that we can whack it out the park when it happens. Glad you are okay now and thanks so much for reading, much appreciated. Happy weekend! Xxx
What a beautifully written piece. You made me think of my mom - another cancer survivor - and her experience when my brother and I were young. You’ve made me realize I need to have a good chat with my mom about her experience and where she is with it today. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you so much and thank you for reading. Cancer is such a life changer and I think you never really 'recover' from it. I hope your mum is doing well now! Thanks Trish xx
Though I have read your story before, I will always make time to revisit it💗 You’ve always been a dedicated ambassador of awareness, so to be recognised as an official Ambassador for Cancer Support is AMAZING. I am one of those very followers that you inspired to get checked (& keep checking!) after finding a lump. Thankfully I only had to have a benign Complex Fibroadenoma removed but that scar & your story endure. Above all, your life-affirming outlook & honesty continue to be awe inspiring. JOIE DE VIVRE indeed💚!
I’m so glad that your lump was so quickly sorted out! Thanks so much Sophie, so lovely to see you on here and so glad that you are doing well. Have a lovely weekend and thank you for reading, lots of love xx
Made me cry Lisa xx you’re amazing and beautifully written xx
❤️❤️ thanks Julia hope you are well! Thanks so much for reading xxxx
As always, this was such an interesting read 🤩 Thank you for sharing 🙏
Thank you so much for reading xxx
So beautifully written, such a privilege to read and so important to share - and such a gorgeous photo! 🍸💖
Thank you Jenni! And thanks so much for reading xx
This was 1st July 1997, the day we gave back Hong Kong and I lost a boob! I was 44 with a young family just like you Lisa and with three dodgy lymph nodes on the wrong side of the cancer track I had a scary time ahead. But here I am now at 73 despite my prognosis being very poor back then. Luck and a bit of systematic homework on what was happening in the breast cancer treatment arena has got me through. When I finished the typical 5 years of Tamoxifen I discovered that drugs called aromatase inhibitors had been used very successfully in a clinical trial on patients with the same kind of breast cancer as mine. I asked my oncologist whether I could take these and the answer was a resounding yes. So I suppose my advice would be keep an eye out for any good news on the medical front and don’t be shy about asking if it would be good for you!
Love your Substack Lisa, we are both great fans of The Parisian Agency can’t wait for sixth series!!
And also thank you for your lovely words and always YES to the Parisian agency! My absolute fave
This is so interesting! I take nothing now after the five years of tamoxifen I didn’t know about those inhibitors I’m going to google. And since I hit 50 they only scan me once every three years 🙄 I am on the ball with it though and am straight to the doctor if I think anything is off! So glad you are well and going strong! It’s a rubbish situation to be in but it’s possible to get through it 💪🏻
I live in Italy so have always been followed up with ultrasound and mammograms every year. Also blood tests which track breast cancer markers. If I was still in the U.K. my birthday present of choice would be a yearly private check up!
That is SUCH a good idea
Thank you for writing this. I'm 10 months on from my own breast cancer diagnosis, deep into a chemical menopause and still struggling everyday with the massive health anxiety it's brought on. I, too, am so unbelievably grateful to have had it caught early enough to treat (including it being in 1 lymph node) but it really knocked me sideways even so. I've really struggled to read anything related to cancer in the last year but I'm starting to seek out positive outcome stories and find them immensely reassuring so thank you for being one of those <3
I’m so glad this was helpful for you and I hope you’re doing well - it’s a long slog but eventually you come out of it and things start to get back to normal. The health anxiety, I found, lessened and I really just starting feeling happy I was still here! I still feel that although I do have mass dramas every time I have a twinge 🙄 but it gets better! Thanks so much for reading and sending love 💕
So well written and so true. I can identify with so much of this - after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 - even down to getting my husband to shave off my hair ‘with the dog clippers’ once it started falling out! I had chemo followed by radiotherapy and all through the staff were so incredible and I will never stop being grateful for the treatment I received. You are right that the worry after doesn’t ever really go away but I do appreciate all the life I’ve had since my diagnosis. It is important we keep talking about cancer and keep doing all we can to improve treatments and outcomes for all cancers. ❤️
I so agree. It’s hard to express how much gratitude I feel to the medical teams for the fact I am still here. And nothing ever phases me now! I am rarely stressed in fact ha! I agree, so important to keep talking about it and raising research funds so that we can whack it out the park when it happens. Glad you are okay now and thanks so much for reading, much appreciated. Happy weekend! Xxx
What a beautifully written piece. You made me think of my mom - another cancer survivor - and her experience when my brother and I were young. You’ve made me realize I need to have a good chat with my mom about her experience and where she is with it today. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you so much and thank you for reading. Cancer is such a life changer and I think you never really 'recover' from it. I hope your mum is doing well now! Thanks Trish xx