You don’t have to be symptomatic to have cancer
Five years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and life has been a whirlwind ever since, but with the support of the Cancer Kaiarahi Service and Support Group I feel uplifted, connected and supported.
I have lost a lot of people in my life to cancer.
My mother, my nana and my great grandmother all suffered from bowel cancer, and my beautiful two-year-old grandson was diagnosed with brain cancer, which spread to his spine. All of these amazing people in my life have lost their battles with cancer.
Then, on 19 July 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was shocked because I had no symptoms at all, I had no changes to my breast, and couldn’t feel any lumps.
I had been having bloods done at a doctor practice with nurses every first Monday of the month 3 monthly for diabetes. I missed an appointment and went on a Tuesday (I believe my grandson was watching over me to go to this new nurse) where I had a locum nurse. I had been going to this GP for some years and had not had mammogram mentioned, nor had I requested, as I was at least 2 years overdue.
This angel nurse saved my life as she asked about mammogram screening and I was very blasé about it, but agreed to be added to the register.
I hadn’t really thought about going for a mammogram because I hadn’t felt any lumps and I wasn’t sick. But, following the mammogram I was asked to have an ultrasound and I just knew something wasn’t right.
Soon after the surgeon called me in to tell me I had tumours in my left breast and that it had spread to my lymph nodes.
I still had no symptoms. Absolutely none. It turned out the lumps were so deep I would never have noticed them. It wouldn’t have been such a huge shock if I had been told I had bowel cancer since it runs in my family, but I never expected this.
I had a single mastectomy but soon after I got really sick and it was discovered I had developed an infection and sepsis. I had to then have another surgery to remove the infection and this has left me with a heart condition.
I went through hormone treatment and 21 rounds of radiation, but even still I was feeling anxious about my remaining breast in case I developed more cancer.
At this time I was living in Christchurch with no support system. I went through all of this on my own but I knew I was strong enough to cope.
I moved to Invercargill and, in February of this year, I got the call I had been waiting for. I was booked in for my second mastectomy.
In 2021 I was scrolling through Facebook and seen a post about lymphatic drainage, which I responded too. I was then contacted by a member of Southland Breast Cancer support group where I was fortunate to meet Terina who posted about a new Cancer Support Group through Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu.
This led me to the Ngā Kete Cancer Kaiarahi Service. I had no idea a service like this was even available and I remember being so shy when I first went to the group. There were a lot of tears and hugs, and some yummy baking. Thanks Barb.
Two years on and I have only missed one week, and the group has become like family to me. There would be days I’d be suffering from anxiety but after getting to the group I would completely forget about it. I would be lost without this group.
We have been lucky enough, as a group, to attend fortnightly meetings, been invited to hui through the Cancer Society and Andrea Jerry-Ryan in Invercargill and Gore, Race4life where we got to participate in the most amazing activities - motorbike rides, race car laps, and helicopter rides over the very bottom of the South Island. We were very spoilt that day, it was a bit overwhelming, and something we still discuss regularly.
We are a diverse group in different stages of our journey but the one thing we have in common is our care and support for each other and the care we receive from the amazing supportive Nga Kete staff. No question is ever a silly question.
Through the group, I met the Cancer Kaiarahi kaimahi and they have been incredibly helpful and supportive.
I was so used to going through this on my own, so when it came time for my third surgery I was planning on hiring a taxi but the kaimahi told me not to be so silly and was promptly at my door ready to take me. She had even picked some flowers from her garden to put a smile on my face.
I honestly don’t know how to explain what the support has meant to me; there are no words to describe how thankful I am.
Sometimes she’ll even ring just to check in on me and really takes the time to support me.
While I will still have hormone treatment for the next two years, I have now been given the all-clear and can finally move on with my life.
I just want to highlight how important it is to make sure you’re up to date with all of your health checks. Just because you have no symptoms, it doesn’t mean you don’t have cancer.
