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Athalie O'Sullivan

Caboolture QLD Diagnosed age 40 My Sister's diagnosis of Breast Cancer saved my life Athalie O'Sullivan My story starts with a phone call I received from my sister Colleen. She is a 47 year old mother to one son and lives in Cairns. I am 40 and live in Caboolture with three children. Colleen has had a history of cysts in her breast and a biopsy in August last year revealed that she had a 3.5cm lump.  Tests showed it to be cancer.  The doctor advised her to tell her sisters to also have mammograms. I turned 40 in September and went in to have a mammogram, not expecting to find anything wrong.  I had always done the self examinations. I was only 40, I had nothing to worry about.  There was no family history of breast cancer (Colleen was the first in our family). About 2 weeks later I received a phone call asking me to go to Nambour for a follow up appointment.  When I went for the appointment I was told there was a 5cm lump they needed to check. A biopsy showed it to be cancer (I was shocked).  I hadn't noticed the lump, as I had large breasts and the lump was near my chest wall, so I hadn't been able to feel it. Colleen had surgery to have her lump removed and then had further surgery as there were cancer cells in the surrounding tissue. It was also in one of her lymph nodes. I had a mastectomy and had cancer in 11 of my lymph nodes. We started chemotherapy within a week of each other.  Colleen had 6 lots of chemo while I had 8.  Although we both have breast cancer they were different types.  We have both finished our chemo and radiation.  Colleen is taking tamoxifen while I am having herceptin. Throughout our treatment we were able to support each other by phone. We haven't seen each other since our treatment and it will probably be a while before we are well enough to travel. If Colleen hadn't been diagnosed with breast cancer I might not have found I had it. Her diagnosis saved my life. Last Updated 7 December 2007