Finding a lump days before the wedding: Tayla’s story

Seven days after saying "I do," Tayla and Trav Whittle’s life together moved from the ultimate high to a devastating low. But now, the 33-year-old primary school teacher from Kidman Park and her husband, a player at Kenilworth Football Club in St Mary’s, Adelaide, are turning their heartbreak into a mission to support others through a PLAY4BCNA fundraiser supporting Breast Cancer Network Australia.

"Days before the wedding, I found a lump,” Tayla says. “My armpit was swollen and kind of sore which led me to finding the lump. The next day I got my mum to look at it, but who really knows what a lump is supposed to feel like? You don’t know what you’re looking for.

“I wanted to go to the doctor, but I didn’t want to ruin the wedding in case it was something bad. In my head, I just kept telling myself it would be fine. Days later, we got married. Then our life went from the happiest time ever to the worst in an instant."

After a beautiful ceremony at Patridge House in Glenelg, the shift to survival for the newlyweds was immediate. “Tayla actually already had a doctor appointment scheduled for after the wedding to discuss plans to start a family later in the year,” Trav, 35 said. “Instead, they rushed her for a mammogram, ultrasounds and biopsies all that same day.”

Tayla and Trav are standing at a formal event for Trav's Australian Rules football club. She is wearing a long, black, velvet dress and he is wearing a suit. They are smiling at the camera.

Diagnosed with Early HER2 receptor-positive breast cancer, Tayla’s current treatment includes chemotherapy, and then surgery and radiation later on.

Tayla’s medical team promptly referred her to an IVF clinic so chemotherapy could begin without delay, while also helping Tayla and Trav preserve their plans for having children in the future.

“We went from planning a wedding to rushing through IVF and treatment," Tayla recalled. “Everything moved so fast: I was diagnosed on Tuesday, saw the surgeon Wednesday, the oncologist Friday, and started IVF the next week. We had the eggs taken out just two weeks after that.

But after the egg retrieval, Tayla was told she had Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, which can cause complications for starting chemotherapy at the same time. “I was extremely unwell and couldn’t take the proper anti-nausea medication because of drugs I was given after the retrieval. Going through that during my first chemo session was overwhelming. I remember thinking, ‘If this is what it’s going to be like, how can I do this?’ I consider myself a strong person, but it was truly awful.”

With 62 being the average age of first breast cancer diagnosis among Australians, Tayla’s diagnosis came as a total shock for the young teacher.

Tayla and Trav are standing on the beach smiling at the camera. Tayla is wearing a black headscarf and Trav is wearing a baseball cap.

"I had no idea what the treatment was going to be. I’m 33, and I don't know anyone else in their thirties who has gone through breast cancer. It opened our eyes. A lot of organisations seem to be for older women, and I couldn't find a story related to anything I was going through as a younger woman.

“My breast surgeon gave me a pamphlet which led me to the Breast Cancer Network Australia website where I found stories and experiences of young mums, or people my age. It really helped me."

With an estimated 1,035 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Australian women aged 20–39 years, according to Cancer Australia, Trav’s footy club, the Kenilworth Kookaburras, has raised money and awareness for Breast Cancer Network Australia with a Play4BCNA Ladies Day fundraiser.

"There are so many women, partners, and mums at the club and we just want to raise awareness. Pinking Up the club with Play4BCNA is a great way to raise funds and get everyone taking about breast cancer, especially among younger women,” says Tayla.

“Trav’s footy club has really touched my heart. They rally around anyone going through a hard time.”

Tayla, wearing sunglasses on her head with long blonde hair, has her arms around Trav who is wearing his Australian Rules football uniform, with a taped shoulder. They are smiling at the camera.

Supporting Breast Cancer Network Australia, Play4BCNA invites Aussie sporting clubs, schools, and community groups to rally together in support of the 56 Australians diagnosed with breast cancer every day. Clubs and participants can "pink up" on and off the field by purchasing official PLAY4BCNA merchandise - including pink socks, laces, beanies, and balls – with 100 per cent of proceeds going directly toward providing free information and support to those affected by a breast cancer diagnosis.