In early 2020, Natasha May, then 27, found herself suddenly blighted by exhaustion and a general feeling of being run down.
uncertain
herself → find → exhaustion
Over the course of the cold season, she found herself picking up every bug going.
asserted
herself → find → bug
But, as a teacher, she assumed it was just part of the job.
asserted
it → assume → job
She never expected the collection of symptoms to signal something serious.
asserted
collection → expect → something
In fact, they turned out to be the first, little-known sign of a particularly deadly form of breast cancer, which she was told she was 'too young' to get.
asserted
she → turn → which
Shockingly, the receptionist's dismissive words were delivered during a phone call to ask for advice about a symptom that's synonymous with the disease – a lump.
asserted
that → deliver → disease
Weeks after the chilling words, Natasha would receive a devastating diagnosis: triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that is more commonly diagnosed in younger women.
asserted
that → receive → women
Natasha May was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2020
This type of disease is more difficult to treat than other types.
uncertain
type → diagnose → types
Overall, women with triple-negative disease have a five-year survival rate of about 79 per cent, compared with around 91 per cent for breast cancer overall.
asserted
women → have → cancer
'As soon as I felt it in the shower, I knew something was wrong,' says Natasha, now 34, from Hertfordshire.
asserted
Natasha → feel → Hertfordshire
'My body's natural reaction was to sit down because I felt like I was going to pass out.
asserted
I → sit → ?
'It had appeared out of the blue.
asserted
It → appear → blue
'As I had such an extreme reaction, I knew it was something more serious than just a hormonal change.'
asserted
it → have → change
Natasha describes the lump as feeling small and hard, like an apricot stone.
asserted
Natasha → describe → stone
But when she phoned her local GP practice, which she did not name, and told them about the lump, she claims they brushed off her concerns.
uncertain
they → phone → concerns
She recalls a receptionist saying: 'Don't be ridiculous.
asserted
receptionist → recall → ?
'They told me to call back in a month or two if I still had symptoms.
asserted
I → tell → symptoms
That didn't sit right with me,' she says.
asserted
she → sit → me
Seeking a second opinion, Natasha saw a private GP, who ran tests.
asserted
who → seek → tests
She claims the doctor said he would be shocked if it was cancer because she had no family history of the disease and no obvious symptoms suggesting cancer.
uncertain
she → claim → cancer
However, because she remained convinced something was wrong, she was referred to a breast clinic.
asserted
she → remain → clinic
A week later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
asserted
she → diagnose → cancer
'I don't think I realised until a couple of years ago the severity of what I went through and what that could have meant for my future,' says Natasha
One in seven women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, around 56,000 a year, making it the most common cancer in the UK.
Triple-negative breast cancer means the cancer cells do not have receptors for oestrogen, progesterone or HER2, so it does not respond to many of the medicines commonly used to treat other types of breast cancer.
Some women with triple-negative breast cancer also have a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.
uncertain
women → think → genes
If there is a fault in these genes, it means that cells can grow out of control.
asserted
cells → be → control
This can increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
asserted
This → increase → cancer
Organisations like Breast Cancer Now and Cancer Research UK recommend genetic counselling and testing for BRCA mutations for anyone diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, particularly if diagnosed at a younger age.
asserted
Organisations → recommend → age
Robin Woolcock, chairman and founder of the UK Charity for Triple Negative Breast Cancer, says clinical studies have shown that early detection and diagnosis are the most important factors in determining survival in breast cancer.
asserted
detection → say → cancer
'This is even more important in triple-negative breast cancer, as it is among the most challenging forms to treat,' she says.
asserted
she → treat → forms
'All breast cancers are not the same and, because triple-negative breast cancer has no targeted treatments like other forms of the disease, survival rates are significantly worse
asserted
rates → have → disease
'If it is found early and treatment begins quickly, there is a good chance of a disease-free future.
'
asserted
treatment → find → future
Triple-negative breast cancer is increasingly being found in younger, pre-menopausal women before the age at which they are offered mammograms, so breast self-checking is vital for people of all ages.
asserted
checking → find → ages
Some people with triple-negative breast cancer experience no symptoms initially, which is why regular screening like mammograms is important.
asserted
screening → experience → mammograms
Natasha's diagnosis was confirmed after a biopsy carried out at the breast clinic following a mammogram and ultrasound.
asserted
diagnosis → confirm → mammogram
'It was quite daunting because I already knew it was cancer before they told me, but I didn't really process what was going on,' says Natasha.
asserted
Natasha → know → me
'A week later, the GP sat me down and told me it was stage one, grade three triple-negative breast cancer.
asserted
it → sit → me
I was quite numb when they told me.
asserted
they → tell → me
I just nodded and said, "right, well, when do we start treatment?"
asserted
we → nod → treatment
'I was surrounded by family who were all sitting there crying, and I think I just went a bit cold, shut down and didn't react.'
asserted
I → surround → family
'I found it quite lonely and isolating.
asserted
it → find → ?
It really shows you who your friends are, who sticks around, and who checks in,' says Natasha.
asserted
Natasha → show → you
…and 25 more, not listed.
The Aporia
