‘I decided to face it head-on and be positive’
SINGLE mum Sandra McCarry (48) lives in Derriaghy, just outside Lisburn, with her two sons, aged 16 and 19. An Action Cancer Ambassador, her job in the health service meant that she was aware of Action Cancer’s screening programme for women in their 40s and aged 70-plus.
“As soon as I turned 40, I phoned and booked an appointment. It was easy and convenient — I had a 9am slot at Action Cancer House and was back on the road to work by 9.15am. I didn’t find the mammogram painful just slightly uncomfortable for a few moments,” says Sandra.
Following her first mammogram, Sandra received a letter to say her results were clear. Two years later she received a reminder letter to attend for her second screening on March 24, 2013. This time she received a follow-up letter stating further investigation was required.
“I was surprised but I didn’t feel overly worried,” she says. “Lots of women are referred on for further investigation and for the majority it doesn’t mean cancer. I tried to stay positive.”
Sandra attended the breast cancer clinic at the Belfast City Hospital on April 22. “I took my mum with me,” explains Sandra. “It was her birthday, but we didn’t come away with the good news we’d hoped for.”
Sandra was shown the Action Cancer X-ray of the left breast. “It just looked so small, like a white round circle,” she says. “It did look quite deep though.”
That day Sandra had another mammogram and a biopsy and was then told by the consultant that it was breast cancer and there was evidence it had spread to the lymph nodes.
“You get a lot of information but all I could take in was my diagnosis,” she recalls. “I was shocked and couldn’t believe it.”
Sandra asked the consultant to break the news to her mum as she couldn’t do it, but says now: “We were both remarkably calm. You just have to deal with it.”
It was suspected that the tumour was 2cm and that surgery and a lumpectomy were needed. The lymph node spread could only be determined once the op had taken place.
Sandra had surgery on May 3 and all her lymph nodes were removed. She spent five days in hospital. “I was very pleased with the outcome; once the swelling went down you couldn’t really notice any difference,” she says.
Of the 27 lymph nodes removed, only two were cancerous. Sandra’s six cycles of chemotherapy began on June 27 and ran until October 15.
“The chemo was tough. The first week of each round I felt sick, but the next two weeks I felt relatively normal. The last three cycles were horrible. I developed mouth ulcers and my hair and nails fell out.
“I said to myself ‘Just make the most of the times you feel well’.”
Before cancer Sandra loved her long hair but she decided to have it cut after surgery and before chemo.
“I had a haircut party with my friends. I’m glad I got it cut because I really liked the style. When it started to fall out, I’d had time to process it,” she says.
Indeed, when Sandra began to completely lose her hair, her neighbour came over the night before the second chemo treatment and shaved it. “We had great craic that night,” she says. She Facetimed her sons, who were away with their father, so they wouldn’t get a shock when they came home. She kept her eyebrows and eyelashes until the fifth round of chemo and says that having no eyelashes was harder than losing her hair.
“I wore a lot of make-up to deal with the changes in my appearance though I only wore wigs when socialising. I continued to live my life during treatment, I decided to face it headon and be positive,” she says.
During November, Sandra had radiotherapy. Her skin took 10 days to heal but she didn’t feel fatigued. Then, in February 2014, she went to Canada for two weeks to visit family before returning to work on a phased basis. “It was a good time to get myself together and reflect.”
At the start of May 2014, Sandra had her first mammogram since diagnosis. Thankfully, no worrying features were detected. She is now on Tamoxifen for 10 years and visits the oncologist and surgeon every year.
She now feels life is going back to normal.
“I feel calmer. Things that would have made me anxious and stressed don’t do so anymore. I don’t really care what people think of me. I’m more concerned about doing things that suit me.”
Following treatment Sandra experienced lymphodema in her left arm as a result of having all her lymph nodes removed. This caused swelling and discomfort but the complementary therapy service at Action Cancer helped her manage the symptoms.
She adds: “It’s difficult for sons to watch their mum go through this, but I have fantastic support. I cannot say how amazing my family and friends are. My mum, dad and sister were all superstars. My social circle came into their own — they were brilliant.
“I’d like to encourage other women to ring up and make an appointment. It could be the difference between living and dying. It would have been a long time before I noticed anything because of where the lump was in my breast. It would have been very big by that stage and I’m convinced it could have been a very different outcome for me if not for Action Cancer.
“I hope as many people as possible put their best foot forward this Friday. All money raised will support local women just like me.”
❝ I’d like to encourage other women to ring up and get an appointment