Niamh is a breast cancer survivor
Niamh, 40 from Kells, Meath, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.
“I was on maternity leave; my baby was 5 months old. I found a lump when getting dressed and I went to the GP who felt strongly given my age and no family history that it was nothing more than a blocked milk-duct.
"Thankfully he decided to send me for an assessment anyway, and I was lucky to be called within a couple of weeks. I went to the Mater Breast Check for Triple Assessment, at the end of which the consultant told me to make sure I had someone with me when coming back for the results, as it was highly suspicious.
"The following visit unfortunately confirmed it was highly aggressive Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
“My life changed dramatically with the diagnosis. I was made redundant when I tried to go back to work following treatment, and it was then I experienced the mental and emotional dip that is prevalent among survivors. The unfortunate thing is that everyone feels they are the only one feeling like this so most people try to hide it and simply then exist behind a mask of ‘normality’.
“I qualified as a coach and am now one of the world’s few professional medical coaches. I help people find their new normal following treatment through my company Directionality.
“My main advice for women who are affected by breast cancer is to reach out in the aftermath of treatment. The mental and emotional downturn often experienced is as much a side-effect of a cancer diagnosis as hair-loss and nausea. Trying to buy in to the social expectation that things simply just snap back to normal when the last treatment is finished is an unrealistic effort - you just aren’t the same person anymore, so you have to choose what your new normal will be, and take back control. This isn’t easy to do, especially alone, so please reach out and get help.”
The Irish Cancer Society would like to extend a massive thank you to Niamh for sharing her story and inspiring other people diagnosed with breast cancer.
Meet more breast cancer survivors:
Read about the work being done by Irish Cancer Society breast cancer researchers.
More information about breast cancer:
- Learn about breast cancer risk factors and how to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
- What is advanced breast cancer?
- Signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Chat with other people affected by breast cancer in our online community.
