Roller derby bump revealed cancerous lump
Palmerston North woman Jody Hare owes her life to roller derby.
A full-frontal crash with another player in the physical contact sport drew her attention to her breast and to a lump that did not go away when the pain and bruising from the injury resolved.
The 33-year-old partner of James Karauria and mother of 10-year-old Tyrece and 6-year-old Kyan had no family history of breast cancer.
She did not contemplate the possibility of having the serious disease until the call from her doctor after an ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy tests came back.
She had not even told her family about the day she had taken a break from her desk at Toyota New Zealand, where she is a customer service representative, to go for the ultrasound. Then, the investigations accelerated.
‘‘I remember the call like yesterday. I was sitting at my desk at work. I said: ‘Just tell me’.’’
The injury did not cause the lump but it drew attention to it and she mentioned it on a couple of visits to the doctor about other things. This probably saved her life.
Some four months after the bump, the lump measured 7 centimetres, and the grade-2 hormonesensitive cancer was growing aggressively.
Diagnosed in July 2017, she went through six cycles of chemotherapy and began a course of Herceptin that is continuing. A lumpectomy went well, the MRI scan came back clear but further tissue testing found microscopic traces of disease and the advice was to have a mastectomy.
But first, Hare had a trip booked to play roller derby at the World Championships in the United Kingdom, where the Swamp City team lost only one game and came out ranked 10th out of 38 teams. She kept the fact she needed more surgery to herself during the tour, only sharing after the last game.
A week later, the breast removal and clearance of 22 underarm lymph nodes happened on Valentine’s Day and it has taken time to get full movement back in an arm that will have to be treated with care from now on.
‘‘It was such a crazy year. I trained throughout and I look back now and wonder how I did it.’’
Hare is taking a break from roller derby while completing Herceptin treatment and continuing to take hormone tablets.
‘‘I’m so thankful I played a sport that drew attention to it but I have not given my body or mind time to absorb what’s happened. I just need some time to reflect.’’
Hare wanted to tell her story out of concern to get better education to younger girls and women about the importance of being aware of their breasts.
‘‘I hope that my story inspires others not to just assume a lump or bump or bruise is just that and to get it checked.’’
Breast Cancer Foundation chief executive Evangelia Henderson is urging women – and men – to be vigilant if they suffer a knock to the chest.
‘‘We encourage you to ‘know your normal’ and, if you notice a change, see your doctor.’’