Breast cancer survivor urges regular self‑checks after delayed diagnosis

Juliette O’Connell was diagnosed with stage‑three, grade‑three HER2‑positive breast cancer at age 41 after a rash around her left breast and collarbone was initially ignored.

The rash first appeared in June 2011, and O’Connell treated it with Sudocrem, assuming it was a heat rash. When it persisted, a pharmacist advised her to see a doctor. She finally attended a GP appointment a few weeks later while taking her youngest child for a check‑up, and was referred to the breast care unit at Limerick Regional Hospital.

After a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy in March 2012, consultants confirmed a 5.6 cm tumour in her left armpit, a 3.2 cm tumour in the breast and a diagnosis of aggressive HER2‑positive cancer. O’Connell began treatment with Herceptin, participated in a clinical trial of Lapatinib, and endured a demanding chemotherapy regimen that required hospitalisation after each cycle.

Following six weeks of recovery, she underwent a left mastectomy and removal of 17 lymph nodes, with pathology showing no remaining cancer. After eight weeks she started radiotherapy.

O’Connell’s experience highlights the importance of early detection and regular self‑examination, urging women not to dismiss skin changes or nipple symptoms.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Tara Winstead / Pexels.