Countries across the world recognise Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October. The initiative aims to create awareness and promote early detection and treatment. To commemorate the month and help raise awareness, the Northglen News’s Danica Hansen chats to three women who have been effected by breast cancer. Each week we will share one woman’s story.
UMHLANGA resident, Courtney Hunt (25) resigned from her job as a Junior Merchandiser when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer on 1 April 2019 after she noticed a painful lump in her breast during a self examination. Having undergone a grueling wave of treatment, Hunt has two weeks of Taxol left and a double mastectomy and radiation still on the horizon. She has already had IVF treatment and her eggs harvested and frozen in case the chemo causes infertility before having a lymph node dissection surgery followed by four rounds of A/C ( better known as the red devil) and 10 rounds of Taxol.
“Treatment certainly takes its toll, physically, but for me, the mental challenges have been the greatest feat. I have struggled to adjust to my new normal: looking different, having a new perspective on life, not being capable of doing the same things I once loved- it can all start to feel like too much. Although there have been so many challenges, I also have discovered a new found love for life, for family, friends and faith. Cancer may have tried to kill my body, but it most definitely did not and will not kill my spirit,” she said.
Despite two doctors assuring her that the lump was not a concern, Hunt persisted in seeking treatment.
“I hadn’t felt well for months prior and had no explanation, so I wanted answers. This is where awareness of my body became so crucial,” said Hunt.
She said the lump was like a small grape, and painful.
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“Apart from being sore to the touch I got sharp shooting pains occasionally which I found concerning. I was told by two doctors that it was nothing. I initially saw my gynecologist for my annual appointment and showed him the lump but because I had recently had my menstrual cycle he wasn’t concerned and told me to check it again in a couple days. I then saw my GP because I was suffering from fatigue and had been menstruating for weeks,” added Hunt.
Because she suffers from Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), her GP was not alarmed by her extended menstruation period.
“I still decided to go for an ultrasound. The ultrasound technician was concerned but my doctors were still confident it was something less ominous. I did however decide to go ahead and do a biopsy and was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer a few days after,” she explained.
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While the news came as a shock to the youngster, she was glad she followed her intuitions.
“Breast cancer has predominantly been seen as something that doesn’t effect people in their youth. Yet this is where awareness needs to be at the forefront because it can and does happen. In retrospect, I don’t think I was so much shocked but rather relieved that my feelings that something was wrong were being affirmed and from there it was fight or flight, and I chose fight,” she said.
Had Hunt not been in the habit of self examination, she may not have detected the lump.
“Ultimately the earlier it is detected the better. I’ve always tried to be as self-aware as possible which allowed me to recognize that something wasn’t right- which is the goal, not to say that self examinations can replace your annual mammograms or ultrasounds but it is a cost free tool that saves lives, it certainly saved mine,” she said.
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