Tracey Lizabeth Ryan, 58 years old has six mutated cancer genes which are as yet unnamed. Her mother had bowel cancer and her father has bladder cancer. Her maternal aunt had breast cancer and liver cancer. Tracey has also had four aunts die of breast cancer.
“Ironically I was at a hospital when I found a lump under my left arm. My son was in the Royal Children’s Hospital and as I lent over his bed, I got a really bad pain in my right side. I didn’t think anything of it at first. But it became more tender and sorer and larger. I asked one of the nurses to look at it and they directed me to my GP straightaway.
“My GP sent me for a mammogram then ultrasound, then both tests were repeated along with a biopsy. Typically your technician doesn’t show any emotion when they’re doing a scan. But my technician had tears in her eyes when she told me that I needed to see my doctor straightaway. So I knew it wasn’t good news. I was sent for a lumpectomy to determine my diagnosis – this all took place over one week.
“My GP told me I had stage 3 breast cancer. When you’re told this news it’s impossible to take in anything else. I think patients should be encouraged to record their diagnosis and treatment plan so that they can listen to it later when they’re calmer. Or have a patient advocate with them to take it all down. Because when you’re told you have breast cancer and you suddenly have to sign loads of forms for various treatments, there’s no room in your mind for any of the practicalities.
“As difficult as it was to hear that I had breast cancer, it was even harder telling husband, two children and my parents.
“I had six rounds of chemotherapy. I lost my hair and my energy. My son has a life-long illness so it’s been extremely difficult for my husband to look after us. He’s been a rock – he takes care of me when I’ve been throwing up from the chemo, or when I’m on the bathroom floor.
“I opted for a double mastectomy with a TRAM flip reconstruction. One positive – I got a tummy tuck out of it! (TRAM, or traverse rectus abdominal muscle, flap reconstruction is where surgeons use tissue from your lower abdomen to create a new breast.) The surgery took more than 20 hours and it’s very costly as it’s classed as cosmetic surgery. It’s very unfair.
“I decided to stop stressing about everything. We took a family holiday to Northern Ireland to see family – I decided that life was too short to put off my dreams any longer.
“When we were in Northern Ireland I began coughing quite a lot and then began coughing up blood and my voice was getting quite hoarse. I know something wasn’t quite right. My back began to get sore, but I put it down to a side-effect of the treatment. I mentioned it during one visit with my oncologist who immediately sent me for a scan.
“The scan found a new primary cancer in my right lung, another scan a few months later found spots in my liver. On Mother’s Day, 2019 they found a new primary in my left lung.
“Since they’re unable to categorise the type of cancer I have my treatment is a little erratic. Every few months my doctor puts me forward for another type of treatment in the hope it will help. I also got lymphedema going across my left breast and into my armpit.
“The more someone says I can’t do something, the more I go out to prove them wrong. Since my diagnosis I've done things that I would never have done before. I’ve climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, I’ve been skydiving. And I speak up about breast cancer to help raise awareness and money for those who can’t advocate for themselves or need financial help
“I run Young Pink Sisters Charity. We pay breast-cancer-related out-of-pocket expenses (up to $600) for women under the age of fifty who have been diagnosed. I run Facebook groups for women diagnosed with breast cancer and I’m a supporter of Pink Hope and all they do.
“I encourage all women to regularly check their breasts every month. And if you think something’s wrong, don’t take no for an answer. You know your body better than anyone. So often we women get fobbed off. If you’re not being heard, get another opinion. Push for an ultrasound. Push for a mammogram. Just keep pushing.
“Doctors don’t like having patients who have metastatic breast cancer. They’d rather have patients they can cure, rather than ones they can’t. So you have to demand to be treated equally and fairly when you have a diagnosis like mine. One of the problems with public health is that you don’t get the same doctor for each check-up. So you have to relive your diagnosis and medical history each time. Which is, of course, difficult. It brings up memories and the battle you’ve face.
“I want to tell them: treat us like you would want a doctor to treat your mother or sister or grandmother. We're not pieces of meat. We’re not a number. We are human beings.”
