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Women's HealthWomen's CancersI was diagnosed with breast cancer at 27
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I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 27

Emma Freeborn

Emma was just 27 years old when she discovered she had breast cancer. The initial shock of her diagnosis led her to believe that she would loose her hair, her fiance and ultimately her life... but in time she came to realise only the latter was true and even that's grown back, here she tells her moving and inspiring story.

'I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2005 at the age of 27, and now, aged 29, I have secondary breast cancer in my spine. However, far from being down about things, I am positive about the future and have just set up a new home with my husband, David. At the moment I feel great and long may that last!

'Prior to the diagnosis my life could not have looked much better. I had just graduated from Exeter University having completed a part time MA, had been promoted at work, plus I was recently engaged - something I really hadn't been expecting!

'I found the lump whilst using my mobile phone; where my elbow rested on the side of my breast I could feel it there. Even after I found it I never imagined it would be anything serious, so when the doctor told me I had breast cancer, the diagnosis hit me hard. I just couldn't get my head around the fact that I was seriously ill - I didn't feel unwell, and had never suffered any serious illness in the past.

'Thank goodness things moved swiftly for me and my doctor referred me to the Royal Marsden in Sutton immediately. I attended the rapid diagnostic unit and on that same day, following a mammogram, a biopsy and an ultrascan, the tests confirmed I had breast cancer.

'Within two weeks of my diagnosis I started chemotherapy with the aim of shrinking the tumour and targeting any loose cells in my body and it worked - the tumour shrank from 3x4cm to just 8mm. So I had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes taken out, plus radiotherapy, tamoxifen and (after a big fight) Herceptin.

'Prior to my treatment starting, I also began Zoladex injections to reduce the hormones in my body and give the cancer less to feed off.



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Created: 29/09/2004  Updated: 02/10/2007

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