Important West Sussex film to highlight urgent cancer screening need

He will begin filming in July in locations including Horsham, Farlington School and Leonardslee Gardens.

“Every year we try to make a not-for-profit public awareness film supported by interested corporate partners and local residents. We did Missing a Note with Elaine Paige to help raise awareness of dementia and Finding Wilson about PTSD and mental health in young adults.

“Both films screened in selected UK cinemas and at film festivals globally.

“This year, we plan to make an educational short film to raise further awareness of and the need for more research into lobular breast cancer. The film is called Eve Groves and the story is based on my wife Susan’s experience. She now has stabilised stage-four breast cancer.

“The film is a positive story based on a true story about a lady who is a keen gardener and her daughter who does something amazing for her.

“The film website is at www.evegrovesfilm.com. The whole film is a short film that will be about 15 minutes,” Tristan said.

“The key message in the film is based on my wife’s experience. She had a concern about a mark on her breast, they gave her a mammogram and ultrasound and said it was fine. She was not convinced so they agreed to do a biopsy which confirmed she had breast cancer. An MRI then confirmed it was 7cm!

“How is that possible? Because a mammogram and ultrasound struggle to see lobular breast cancer. Everyone should be given effective screening.

“To make the film we need to raise £30,000, and we have got about £8,000 to go. It has come from companies and people that supported us over the years. It has been really, really good but it's a very tough climate at the moment with the pandemic and with the cost of living crisis and government turmoil but I think people see cancer as very real. Regardless of what is happening, cancer doesn't care and we need to make this film to get the message out there.”

The vital point is that Susan wasn't convinced when she was told that she had nothing to worry about. She persisted after the mammogram and ultrasound showed nothing: “She went to see her cancer guy and they biopsied it and it showed invasive lobular breast cancer. She said she wanted to take no risks and they saw something in her other breast. She had a double mastectomy and reconstruction. Just before she went down for surgery the doctor said he wanted to give her another mammogram and an MRI scan, and the MRI scan showed two and a half centimetres of cancer. She said why doesn't everyone get an MRI scan? They did the surgery and actually they discovered seven and a half centimetres. The fact is that mammograms and ultrasounds are virtually ineffective for lobular breast cancer. Some people will come away with a false OK."