I’d recommend them [women] to go, because if I wasn’t being screened theres no way I’d have found the lump, even after they’d detected it I came home and still couldt feel the lump. So I don’t know how long it would have been if it had got left, before it was noticeable. If it was growing inwards I probably wouldt have noticed it. So I’d definitely say to go for screening. If people have got a family history I’d say definitely seriously think about being screened. And obviously with the older age group as well, you know I’ve said it before, if I hadt been screened I wouldt have known I’d had it. So to me it’s the thing that saved me really, very positive, yes.

So when these two sisters were diagnosed, I think it was just after Christmas I went to the GP, and started discussing with him that I wanted to go on some kind of screening program. He was very helpful and didn’t try to deter me from it at all, very helpful and referred me to the hospital straight away. So within about six months from going to the GP I was on a screening program;

It was three years – this was my third screening, this one in 2003, so it was 2000, so I was 34, yeah, 34. So I joined the screening program and just went every year, so I [first] went in 2001;;

What happened was he [GP] referred me to the breast care unit and to the consultant there, and he wanted to do a family history thing, and I was finding out, wanted to find out about genetic testing, that was what originally started. And by the time the consultant had looked at all the risk history and the factors between the consultant and what theve told us – the fact that I could have had genetic testing to find if I’d got a faulty gene, but if wve got that information, what are we going to do with it anyway? And because genetic testing took such a long time he suggested then to go on the screening program would be the best thing for me. But genetic testing is something I have discussed with my consultant, and it is something that I want to do for the benefit of my own daughter really, and my sister – my one sister in Canada is on a genetic testing program.

I don’t know how they do it, but they just kind of touch base with her every now and then, they’re still looking. I don’t know how it works but they havet found anything that they can say yes, shes got this faulty gene, because shes got three daughters, and shes very aware of this. it’s something that ll want to do, because if there is a faulty gene I need to know for my daughtes sake, because when shes old enough ll get her tested, and then at least shll be in a position to be able to make the decision earlier on, rather than waiting to have it… But we don’t know yet until theve done the genetic testing. It could be that it’s just very, very bad luck that four sisters out of five have had the breast cancer but the chances are it’s more than likely going to be genetic;;

And then after my operation I was – I kind of wanted to find someone that was local, that was Indian, that had had a mastectomy, that was similar to my age. Which a breast care nurse found, she kept records and she put me in touch with a lady that’s local and she rang me up, and she was really useful and really helpful. Shd had a mastectomy and shd had the same chemo that I was having, so it was really good talking to her, and she was very positive.

She had very young children, her son was only three. It was nice to think yore dealing with it, it helps.