BREAST CANCER MODEL ON JOY OVER SPENDING SPECIAL
Sunday Mail
But when Anna Macdonald prompted her daughter to check her breasts for any sign of breast cancer, that motherly wisdom saved her life.
Eilidh, 47, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer after following her mum’s advice and checking her breasts in the shower.
As the two women celebrate Mother’s Day together, Eilidh says she will always be grateful to her mum.
Eilidh, a mum to sons Charles, 15, and Aiden, 18, said: “I sometimes think my mum has a sixth sense when it comes to looking out for me.
“In this case, she’d been reading an article about breast cancer and, when she saw me, she asked when was the last time I had checked my breasts? The next day I was in the shower and her words popped into my head and I had a check.
“I found something I knew wasn’t right and it led to my diagnosis with a large tumour in my breast. By the time I was diagnosed, we were very much chasing the cancer.”
Psychotherapist Eilidh was told she had lobular breast cancer in February 2018. She received chemo, radiotherapy and had a mastectomy operation and later reconstruction. She also had her ovaries removed to lower her risk of the disease returning.
Eilidh, who is married to Chris, 48, said: “When I look back now, I can see there were signs that something was going on in my body but at the time, I put any possible symptoms down to my age and having a busy life.
“I’d been having a bit of breast pain for six months but I thought it was caused by hormones and going through the peri-menopause.
“I’d been exhausted, the twinkle had gone out of my eyes and my skin looked grey – but I was running my business and dashing about with my sons, husband, our parents and our dogs.
“I used to be good at checking my breasts but, since having children and breastfeeding, I hadn’t checked for a long time.
“When I did, I felt something I wasn’t sure was a lump but which didn’t feel quite right.
“When I lifted my left arm up, I could see in the mi r ror that a dent appeared on my breast, which I knew could be a sign of cancer.”
Ei l idh made an appointment with her
GP, who referred her for further tests.
She said: “At f irst, I didn’t plan to tell my mum or husband but, four days before my appointment, I cracked and told Chris.
“He came with me to the hospital and I
At the fashion shoot last year