Worthing mum urges others to get unusual symptoms checked after breast cancer diagnosis

“Had I waited one month, it could have been a different story” – these are the words of a Worthing mother-of-two who was diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic.
Catherine Steele with her daughtersCatherine Steele with her daughters
Catherine Steele with her daughters

Catherine Steele, 54, saw her GP straight away after discovering a ‘large lump’ in her breast the day before her daughter’s 21st birthday.

She is sharing her story for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust urges women in West Sussex to check their breasts regularly, report any unusual symptoms to their GP and attend routine breast screening appointments.

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Catherine said discovering the lump was ‘a huge shock’. “I hadn’t felt it there the last time I checked,” she said.

Not wanting to upset her daughter, Catherine kept the news to herself and saw her GP straight away, who referred her to the breast clinic at Worthing hospital.

“On my daughter’s birthday, I snuck away and after a number of scans and biopsies, was told I had breast cancer,” she said.

“It was hard hitting. My mind went to all sorts of places.

“I started planning my own funeral, imagining not being there to see my girls settle down, not being able to help my older relatives.

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“I was told it was an aggressive cancer and because it had grown big in a short time, I had a CT scan to see if it had spread, and booked to have surgery.”

Following a mastectomy and removal of nearby lymph nodes, Catherine’s diagnosis was reduced to ‘stage two’.

She is now receiving chemotherapy and is hopeful about the future. “Had I waited one month, it could have been a different story,” she said.

Catherine, who works as a theatre nurse at the Trust, cared for Covid-19 patients in the hospital’s ITU department during the pandemic’s peak.

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“I was very familiar with the measures in place to ensure safety during Covid-19, so I knew it was safe and important I had my symptoms checked out,” she said.

“The whole multidisciplinary team have been absolutely fabulous. I have felt thoroughly supported and the care has been exceptional.”

The symptomatic breast service at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has seen a significant reduction in referrals amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, there was a 20 per cent reduction compared to the same time last year.

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Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Mr Dibendu Betal, said: “It is concerning that potentially hundreds of patients are not reporting symptoms to their GPs, which could be risking delay in diagnosis.

“We run a ‘one-stop’ clinic that involves having a breast examination, breast imaging and tissue biopsy, known as triple-assessment, for early and rapid detection of breast cancer giving the best chance of treating and surviving cancer.”

Covid-19 has also impacted the number of women attending their invitation for screening.

The breast centre at Worthing hospital runs the West Sussex Breast Screening Service, and is open to 125,000 women across the county over a three year period.

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Since screening resumed following a pause imposed by Covid-19, almost one in two women in West Sussex are not accepting their invitation to attend.

Dr Olga Strukowska, Consultant Radiologist and Director of West Sussex Breast Screening Service, said: “It is troubling that potentially fewer women than anticipated are responding to their invitation to attend screening.

“Screening helps finds breast cancers at an early stage when they are too small to see or feel.

“The scan is quick and simple and early detection of cancer may often mean simpler and more successful treatment.

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“We have four mobile units that travel to 12 locations across West Sussex to make it as easy as possible for women to have these tests.

“The units have recently been refurbished to be Covid-safe, including installing a one way system and new easy-to-clean laminate flooring.”