Alison Irving: Early Detection of Breast Cancer Story

Disclaimer: Know Your Lemons deeply values and respects the experiences and stories shared by breast cancer patients. The advice, statements, or facts presented in these narratives may not necessarily align with medical expertise or be universally applicable to every individual’s situation. Breast cancer is a complex and highly individualized medical condition, and while these stories offer valuable insights and emotional support, they should not substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance and decision-making regarding breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management. Know Your Lemons encourages a collaborative approach between patients, caregivers, and medical professionals to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for those affected by breast cancer.

Alison is 54 years old, lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland and works as a physiotherapist in a local hospice. She enjoys making beaded jewelry that she sells on Etsy and her greatest achievement is her two fantastic children Alex and Jamie. A surprising fact about Alison is that she wrote her first novel, "Casual Cruelties" this year and it will be published In November! She signed the contract, just a couple of months before her diagnosis. Alison's story is evidence that our mission is being fulfilled at the Know Your Lemons foundation. We are so grateful to all those who share our material, teach our breast health education classes and donate or fundraise to help us further this education and ultimately save lives! Here is Alison's story...

I work as a physiotherapist and a hospice, and we did a cancer awareness training session for staff at the beginning of May, and the Lemons photograph was part of the training session. Then four weeks later, I stepped out of the shower and was drying off and caught sight of myself in the mirror, and noticed the tiniest little indentation and I knew straight away from the training, that it was something that I needed to get checked out. And I remember lifting my arm above my head and it got slightly bigger. And I went the next day to see the doctor. I got a referral very quickly and a week later I was told that I had breast cancer, and had to wait for the pathology to come back, and it came back, and within three weeks, I was in surgery. I was very fortunate because I caught it, It was a small tumor, there was no spreads, and after my surgery, I then had to wait a few weeks and I finished my course of radiotherapy last week. I think that as a health care professional, I knew that you looked out for skin changes, but I wasn't really sure. And I thought that there would be a lump; there was no lump at all. And I'm just very glad that we did that training, and a few weeks later, I knew what I was looking for, and I got it seen very quickly. And that's why I feel really strongly that people need to know what to look for but also to know that breast cancer can present with no lump, and I feel very positive that I've had treatment. And thankfully, I caught it early.