October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Holly Finnegan is sharing her story to raise awareness about breast cancer in young women, and to encourage them to get their symptoms checked if they notice any unusual changes.
Holly’s Story
“I hold many titles, most of which make my heart burst with an insurmountable amount of pride.
“My name is Holly. I’m a West Australian 34-year-old mother of two (Isaiah, 4 years old and Estelle, 2 years old), a daughter, a sister, a niece, an auntie, a cousin, an in-law, and a primary school teacher.
I am a fiancée, a best friend to a few and a friend to many.
“Upon reflection, it’s quite an extensive list of titles that is not just limited to the above. Yet being an inpatient at an Oncology Unit was not a title that I ever expected to be synonymous with my name.
“The same doors that I had walked through to deliver our daughter just ten short months prior, were also the doors which I walked through to meet a specialist surgeon, whilst I was on maternity leave, on the 2 September 2022.
“In a very cruel twist of fate, those doors hold so much sentiment for two very life changing reasons.
“I found myself thinking, how could these doors be the same? Surely there’s going to be someone who walks up to me and explains that there’s been a terrible mistake. You can’t carry a newborn and then carry the weight of a cancer prognosis over one threshold. The paradox seems unimaginable, yet this is my reality.
“The same breasts that nourished my two beautiful babies and gave them life, are the ones that ultimately tried to take mine from me. There was lots of noise, yet the words seemed cruelly clear, I was diagnosed with aggressive Stage 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
“In all honesty, there were many unanswered questions. Most relate to how you can feel as though your whole world has been ripped from under you within a matter of minutes, yet life must go on around you.
“It may seem ridiculous for some to comprehend but instead of thinking “why me?”, I was plagued with “why them?”.
“They deserve a mother who rides makeshift buses with them in the lounge room, who sings ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ to them every night while wondering just how she got so lucky to be blessed with two beautiful, intelligent, and healthy children. Yet also really wants them to go to sleep so she can watch some rubbish reality show without having to answer any more questions relating to why sharks don’t eat our poo when sewage ends up in the ocean.
“A mother who tries so hard to ‘get it right’, who plans activities that nurture the whole-child, and tells them every day just how much she loves them and is so very proud of the amazing people they are.
“A mother who isn’t perfect but is perfect for them.
“And that’s exactly what I decided to do. There was no other option but to fight and win this unprecedented battle. There’s too much at stake because it’s Isaiah and Estelle that’s ultimately at stake.
“Since my diagnosis, I’ve fought for my life. I’ve endured sixteen rounds of chemotherapy along with the associated side effects. I’ve undertaken three major surgeries which included a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction.
“I’m exhausted, but I’m alive. Even now, my body is chronically fatigued, and I am in frequent pain.
“However, despite the above, what pains me the most is the lack of knowledge surrounding young people with cancer. Cancer isn’t a diagnosis reserved for those later in life or for those who haven’t made their health a priority.
“I was told that I was just being “scared” after finding a lump and that I was “too young” to have cancer.
All that I am “scared” of, is what would’ve happened if I didn’t advocate for myself and get my symptoms checked.”
Being aware of changes in your breasts can mean prompt screening and early diagnosis which can improve treatment outcomes.
Symptoms to look out for
Common symptoms of breast cancer include:
- A lump or hard area in your breast or underarm, especially if it is only on one side
- A change in the size, shape or feel of your breast
- Change in the look of your breast, including, redness, rash, or your skin looks like the skin of an orange, or is wrinkling in small folds
- Changes to the nipple, like it’s pulled inwards, leaking, itchy or has a sore that won’t heal
- Breast pain or discomfort, especially if it is only on one side
- An area of the breast that feels different to the rest
