31 - A boost for a young family as mum faces breast cancer - December 2020

We are pleased to be able to share news of our latest donation, which has an early festive feel as we help a family have a brighter Christmas after a very challenging year.

Thank you to our member Jess, who told us about her friend Beth, wondering if we might be able to help her out. She told us that Beth, a mum of 2 young girls had been diagnosed with breast cancer over the summer and circumstances had left her struggling financially - adding stress to an already difficult time.

Beth was kind enough to share her story with us.

Way back in the first lockdown Beth went to the doctor about an unrelated issue and ended up having a breast examination. The doctor found a small lump in her right breast. Initially it was not considered a cause for concern, but 2 weeks later after a follow up appointment, Beth was referred to the breast surgery team at the Hallamshire for a precautionary check, whilst being reassured it was probably nothing to worry about. They wanted to biopsy the lump to check and results came back inconclusive so she was advised she needed diagnostic surgery to remove the lump. She was told "it's highly unlikely to be cancer but we need to get it out to say what it is." The lumpectomy was scheduled for the 22nd of September and would require Beth and her family to isolate for 2 weeks.

Beth is a school teacher and had taken a temporary maternity cover job whose contract came to an end in May and due to the pandemic she wasn't able to find work throughout the last half term. The family’s finances were stretched to the limit, but she had managed to secure a new post to begin September 1st in a new locality.

Due to their money worries, they decided that it would be best for her husband Joe to move out of their family home for the isolation period so he could still work and she could stay Covid-free.

On the day of the surgery Beth needed a mammogram to locate the lesion and as a matter of course both breasts were scanned. They found a lager lesion in her left breast and the decision was made to remove the lumps on both sides there and then.

10 days later she was asked to come in to see the doctor a week earlier than planned. She knew it was bad news.

On the 7th October Beth received her cancer diagnosis.

The left breast lump was benign but on the right she had 2 locations of invasive ductal carcinoma and extensive ductal carcinoma in situ throughout the rest of the breast. The team decided that the best and only option was a single mastectomy and instant reconstruction with a silicone implant.

Not surprisingly Beth did not feel able go into work the next day after hearing this news, but was told that she would run out of paid sick days within the week and wouldn't be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay as she had not worked enough days in her new job.

With little option she returned to work and continued to teach to the very best of her ability right up until the week of her op, both in the classroom and via zoom.

Beth has now had her surgery and is recovering well at home with her husband as her nurse (he has now been furloughed) .

The surgery confirmed that there was no lymph node involvement and they are awaiting the pathology results of the removed tissues to indicate what further treatment she will need.

They are living on a very much reduced income and had been worried about how they would be able to get through this coming Christmas period and keep a sense of normality for their 6 & 4 year old daughters, both of whom have shown tremendous courage and kindness throughout this horrible time.

We were pleased to be able to send the family £500 to allow them to relax a little over the Christmas period, get their girls some presents to put under the tree and enjoy a special time together.

Beth says:

I cannot express how grateful we are for your generosity and kindness for this donation which will have a huge impact on our lives at a time when we have most needed it. I hope to be able to pay this kindness forward by joining the 500 myself when I am back in a position to do so.