An Amersham resident who was diagnosed with breast cancer months after a negative test has encouraged women to carry out routine checks.
Michele Cullen attended a routine mammogram appointment at a mobile unit in Chesham town centre in 2019.
The scan showed signs of an ill-defined mass lesion. However, Michele was not informed of the mammogram findings or referred for any further investigation and was told there was no cause for concern.
Michele continued to check herself for lumps in the subsequent months. After finding a lump in her left breast, she was referred by her GP to hospital for another mammogram and further tests. She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, which doctors found had spread to her lymph nodes.
Thankfully, doctors have told her that she is now cancer-free after prolonged treatment, but Michele still remains on edge that the disease may return.
She said: “Nothing prepares you for the news you have cancer. It was absolutely devastating.
“I struggled to understand how I had stage three breast cancer when a few months earlier my results had said I didn’t need to be seen for three years.
“It’s so important that women keep checking themselves, even following a negative screening. Symptoms can change or appear at any time.”
For more information on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, please visit breastcancernow.org
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